The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-10
What Would King Solomon
Think
If He Could See What the Delegates From His Royal
Descendant Are Viewing in America7

Very interesting the reception here of the delegates
from Empress Zeoditu of Abyssna who to congau
late the United States its part in the great
These gentlemeh-whose names, more easily spelled
than pronounced Dedjamatch Nadao Kantba Gabrou
Alto Harouy and Alto Snkae-epresent the oldest connu
ously royal family in the world
The Empress, the youngest daughter of the famous
King Menelk who died in 1914 traces her ancestry back
to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon thus making any
other royal tree of ancestry look like goosebery bush
The government Of Abyssna has for many years been
keeny interested in the United States and Menek
great admirer of President Roosevelt portrait of whom
hung In the royal palace and to whom gift Of royal lions
and native zebra sent the animals being now in the
Zoo.
The legend, which is firmly believed in by all Abys
snans which accounts for the lineage of Menek and his
daughter is that Sheba Abyssnian princess who later
became queen anxious to know something Of the world
outside her country visited Jerusalem disguised
man.
King Solomon exercising the wisdom for which he was
famous detected her disguise and having established her
identity fell in love with her and married her.
This was not an unusual thing for Solomon to do.
To them born child, for whom the mother chose
the Of Menelik and Solomon having the boy
acknowledged him his and announced him heir
to the throne Of his mothers country.
More than three thousand years separated this first
Menek from Menek the father Of the present Empress
but the late nameSake is reputed to have inherited
thing Of the wisdom Of his great ancestor and to have dis
played it not infrequently.
The most famous of his wise and solomonlike judg
meus resulted from the appearance before him or Abys
snia all legal matters may be appealed to the throne of
family which claimed damages for the death of one of its
members who had been killed by another man who had
fallen him from a tree
The law provided that if the man was not able to nav
in money his life could be claimed forfeit The case
when before Menek had arrived the point where
for the survivor of your money or your life
Menelik's ruling was interesting
You have the right to claim this mans fe he said
he he cd in he
his victim Therefore let one of you climb
that tree -pointng to a tall sycamore-and fall from
its branches on the culprit."
You wonder how the finally came out
The country which these delegates to the New World
represent is far from being unczed and barbarc as
would expect from its lack of with the greater
nations
It has been continuously since the fourth century
Christian people, and of the native churches are
cudsy gorgeous The altar in the largest church of the
country is OVERLAND thcky with gold and the ton is two
slabs of solid gold weighing 1900 ounces
The of Abysna is about times that of the
State Of New York. and the population is somewhat less
than that of the city of New York.
In its earliest history it known as Ethiopia and
gained its greatest Importance from being the source of the
Nile river.
While it is far from being the sort of place that rs
pleasant location for residence its climate in the higher
portions is much the that of California and the
products Of its SOIL roughly cultivated it u.s. are penteous
and good.
Coffee is one of the principal sources of revenue and
inc of this berry of beverage is believed to
ave had its origin in the Kaffa highlands.
The average pay for native workman is six cents
day and his food which averages about additional
It is plain that there is high of living in Abvs
snia and no we'll organized labor unions
One Of the mediums of exchange most common is bars
Of rock SALT which when they become broken are used for
food and say that he SALT means that that person
is looked upon a spendthrift.
The small which the workers get for their labor
leads many Of them to become consistent beggas profes
sion of which is ashamed for say thew 'Cod