TJTOURNAU" PORTLAND.,-. SUNDAY " jlORNING. MARQj- ::l-y :
- (
THE - OREGON SUNDAY
Kaiser Says Mrs. Tower
is the "Von Moltke of
the Social Set of the
NLY one American woman, so far as
known, has ever been decorated with
' the hithest praise that the German
emperor can bestow. Of Mrs. Tower, wife of
the VnUcd States" ambassador, Charlemagne'
Wowcr he said not long ago :
"She is the Ton Moltke of Berlin so-
lilt
5 rwy,"- .
4?A?rrty poorrr. of rfrc Torres fcxrjrc
In addition, the enthusiastic kaiser de
clared that Mrs. Tower had done more to
make social life in the German capital brilliant
and interesting than any one who has been in
'Berlin during his reign.
: : All of which is high praise, especially the
comparison to Yon Moltke, one of the ideals
of the military kaiser. The fact is, the social
career of the Towers in Berlin has been far
more brilliant than the majority of their coun
trymen are aware, and this does not detract"
from the value of the diplomatic service ren
dered by the American ambassador.
fTT0 BE regarded by auch high authority aa the Von
I - Moltke of Berlin society is a diatlnction that
jl ' would crown a German hostess with proud
honors for life.
Notable features of the winter sdclal season for
several years In the German capital have been the
fancy dresa balls given by Ambassador and Mrs.
Tower at the American embassy. . Of the first one It
waa aald;
In the splendor vt the appointments and the brilliancy
nt th guMMt' rostumea. ih contume ball given at tbe
' American embassy outdid even the court functions.
Ail th notables of tha imperial court were present,
find tbe most exclusive and wealthy circle of Beninese
' Bnciety w fepiewmed. Ttieseniiatnm -f-th vgt
was the costume worn by the crown prince, who appeared
in the Uniform worn by his regiment at the time of
. Frederick the fireHt It consisted of a cost with full
t anque and Tons; waistcoat very much be-buttoned. With
tlieie a powdered wig and white gaiters were worn. . .
- The prince was accompanied by a group of otlicers of
bit reglinont. all arrayed in the same fashion.
When it was announced, some months ago, that
Ambaaaador Tower had made up" his mind to leave
the ; diplomatic service thla year., the crown prince,
J'rlnce Eltel Frederick, and other begged Mrs. Tower
to cap th climax of their winter's social whirl with
another of her Incomparably brilliant entertainments.
lTbla was arranged, but was delayed beyond the
original date by the period of court mourning for
tbe king and crown prince of Portugal.
, , With, every Qualification for social leadership, and
wit!) great wealth at their command, Mr. and Mrs.
Tower have aet a pace for entertaining such as was
never known before of Americans in Berlin. Not in
frequently an item like this Is seen in the news.
apers: .
; Emperor William and three officers of his suite dined
with IJnited States Ambassador and Mrs. Tower at the
American embassy last evening. '
Ever mindful of his station, and averse to dining
nt embassies, tbe kaiser has made no secret of his
pleasure at accepting the hospitality of the Towers.
Mr, and Mr. Tower give dinners several times a year
to t i emperor and empress, and air the princes, of
the German confederacy accept invitations to the Ameri
can embassy. -
' KAISER'S FAVORITE DIPLOMAT
"At n expense far more lavish than any other
representative of the United State ever dreamed of."
state one account; "entertaining on a scale of great
splendor, upending 300,000 yearly in excess of his
salary, Mr. Tower has gradually built himself up as
the favorite diplomat of tbe kaiser.
."It la generally known that the emperor has a high
re&ara for Mr. Tower's diplomatic -ability, which
would, no doubt, be fully recognized even did the
Americans fall to maintain the social splendor which
Wllhelre so greatly admires."
Soon after the beginning of Mr. Tower's term as
ambassaddt . to Germany, the following news -item
wont the rounds: , ,
T M3L''0?'er Popular as her husband, and haw sev
not m?oTmaTity,nVUd t0 V,Bt th ,npref" wlth tne ut
.t'if.' A"? H4 iewels are already famous at court
5 . iJ 'mo her linguistic abilities, her personal
eliarm. rare tact and unfeigned cordiality to all she meets.
Time, has Increased her prestige of popularity. Mrs.
iS "' .Vf.'VS! f f most successful bostesse
which the United States has ever sent across the At-
-It is ald of herthat she accepts tha customs and
rourt regulations of Germany with unfailing good humor,
if nd conscientiously endeavors to fulfil her duties as the
There was general regret in diplomatic circle when
Inst fall. Ambassador Tower asked permission to retire
jitiM ih totelRn ervlce of the country this' year
jt waa recalled that he had been continuously mints-1-r
unl ambassador longer than any other prominent
',iJonixt In the American servfee, having been abroad la
Vich tMiHirltia nearly eleven years.
lower private fortune has enabled him and Mrs.
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Tower t carve out a social career at Berlin that waa be
yond the reach of moat previous representatives of this
country. And few on thla aide of the Atlantto reallae how
much Influence the aoclal aide of diplomacy haa upon Ua
bualncaa or political aide.
Show counts for a treat deal at every European
court. The aoclal aide of diplomacy la as necessary, al--tnoat
aa' ability to handle great international questione.
While Mr. Tower haa made careful study of Quea
tlona constantly arising In diplomatic circles, both he and
hla wife have been fully alive to the Importance of aoclal
prestige. ,
' When America mlnlater at the court of Vienna, Mr.
Tower occupied ihe palace of a grand duke and gave
many handaomc entertainment. At one of hla famoua
dinners there covera were laid for 200 gueata.
Later he waa transferred aa ambassador to Russia,
and at St. jpeteraburg the brilliancy of hla aoclal func
tlona daled the.Russlanxourt. . . . -- -
When the Towers arrived at Berlin they saw the
neceialty for engaging In a brilliant aoclal campaign.
The former American ambaaaador, A. D. White, being
only modestly aupplled with thla world'a gooda, had
lived throughout hla term in a Berlin family hotel.
Neither the emperor nor the big lights of the court ever
visit hotels.
One of the first acts of Mr. and Mrs. Tower upon
reaching Berlin was to lease for a residence one of the
finest pektw 4n 4he city; - . -
It Is a pplendid marble building In the Koenlgsplatz,
almost opposite the grrat Branderburgh gate and in the
Immediate vicinity of the stately houses of tpe Keiehstag
and the grand avenue of filter den Linden.
From the front the building shows little architectural
effect, but in the rear Is an attractive garden surrounded
by a high stone wall.
Rare white marble Is used extensively throughout the
interior of the building; It was carved by the best mas
ters after the decorations of the famous palace of the
Slguorla, in Florence.
It in said that few private houses, oven in Ixindon,
Taris or Rome, are provided with such a magnificent
Stairway ns that which, in this splendid home, winds
From Sl&gie. to
WHEN the report became current in Paris
1 recentlyand was not met with denial
that the prime minister of France,
Georges Clemenccau, was to marry
. Mme. Rose Caron, one of the most popular and
gifted of French actresses, there was a sew. and
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the main entrance to the drawing
is 011 tne second noor.
rugs obscure any part of the black.
and
white marble floors, and the paneled
marble walla are considered sufficient in themselves
for decorative purposes.
Five drawing rooms open Into each other, and; each
Is distinguished by its Individual furnishings.
Early French decorations are used In the main draw
ing room, while the Empire and Dlrectolre styles, blend
ed with old English and Colonial, are to be observed In
the fmaller ones.
Flemish tapestries, costly paintings, mahogany and
rosewood furniture, some of It centuries old, combine to
make the stately dining room a thing of beauty.
Withal, the American visitor Is pleased to catch
everywhere glimpses of homo scenes.
There are upon the walla portraits of .Washington, of
President and Mrs. Roosevelt, of William Peftn; and
there are numerous pretty bits of water color, showing
scenes along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, in Penn
sylvaniafrom which state Mr. Tower hails together
with picturesque stretches of beach along the New Jer
sey shore.
T
Second Ladf
tremendous sensation at the Frenph capital.
Strange to say, there were few expressions of
disapproval in Paris, Mma. Caron has been highly
regarded for many years by the French people;
why should she not fill worthily the high position
of second lady in France f
MUCH Is known lnthls country of Georges Cle
menceau, the brilliant, if somewhat erratic. Journalist-statesman
of France. If any one ever
won high position and power entirely because of
ability and energy, Clemenceau is the man.
But of Mme. Rose Caron not so much is known on
this side of the Atlantic, Her recent nomination as a pro
feieof of fh Conservatory was the crowning honor of a
long and distinguished career on the stage.
Whatever the character she has appeared in, Mme.
Curon has left an Ineffaceable impression of art upon all
who have had the nleasureof seeing her performancea.
This holds good of her wonderful Impersonation of Elsa,
In some respects the Tower home in Berlin Is morw
pretentious than the celebrated Dorchester House, la
London, which is occupied b Ambassador Whltelaw
Reld. Dorchester House Is rented furnished by the Relds,
while the magnificent furnishings of the Berlin house are
the property of the American tenanta.
It is said that Mr. and Mrs. Tower spent nearly
SI, 000,000 in fitting up the Koenlgsplats Palace, which Is
the property f a banker. - There-are moro than Brty
rooms in the dwelling, and the task of getting them in
order, decorating and furnishing them occupied nearly a
year.
For rent of this palace alone the Towers are said to
expend S18.000 a year. The salary of the ambassador is
$17,500 a year.
Such a splendid home, of course, affords ample oppor
tunity for the most brilliant social functions., and Mrs.
Tower's experience enables her to got the very best re
sults from the wealth at her command. Her favor with
the imperial family Is fixed.
Only the other day It was announced In cablegrams
from Berlin, the American ambassador and Mrs. Tower
were the only foreign guests asked by the crown prince
and princess to a theatrical party in their palace.
of France
the dreamy sweetness of Marguerite, the martial vest
ments of Brunhilde or the solemn garmentura of
Salammbo.
Twenty years of uninterrupted success at Brussels
and Paris have constituted an exceptional claim to publlo
favor on the part of Mme. Caron, who has been declared
a worthy successor of Damoreau-Salnty and Pauline
Vlardot. ,
Recently the actress took charge of her class In the
Conservatory, In the Institution where she was herself for
four years a pupil, and from which she was graduated In
1882, with the small honor of second prise in singing and
an "accesslt," or near approach to a prise. In opera.
This scanty recognition of her ability at the beginning
of her career did not affect her subsequent success. After
having perfected her musical education with Marie Basse
she was engaged by the direction of h Theater de la
Monnale at Versailles. There, on September 1, 1883. she
made her debut as Alice In Robert 1e Dlable.'
Later she was warmly welcomed -by the Brussels
public. In her performance of Marguerite in "Faust" sh
made a specially favorable impression with her pure.
Clear voice and her, perfect diction,' ' - v
While she was thus engaged the composer Reyer, as
yet cnmparatlvelv unknown, brought to themanagement
an opera, "Slg-trd." which had cost him twenty years of
labor and had been refused at Paris. . -
In this case It secured a more: favorabW reception.
The directors saw In Mme. Carott i the ideal Brunhilde
which the work called for. It was ; put on with her In
that role January 7, 1884. Its reception was enthusiastic,
and Brussels took to Its heart what Paris had disdained.
Since thn Mme. Caron has known ?nlr success. En
gaged at the Paris Opera, she created Sigurd 'there in
.Tune. 1885. Next she successively and sucssfuUysanc
Rachel in 'TThe Jewess." Chlmene hi "Tbe Cid" and Cath
arine of Arragon in "Henry VHI. ' '.,.,,
Difficulties with the manajrement of th OpJM caused
her withdrawal from that house. She "tuf Bru"
sels. where she was again welcomed wlth tPort
Beeominr awar of their mistake In allowing her w
deparTthe directors of the Paris Oner, made .overture,
for her return. On October 13. 1890. she araln sang before
the public of Paris. This was as Elsa In L&hengrln.
a creation -so exqulslt. that all voices .e pronounced
in her praise. Afterward sh sang Salammbo, and her
. ' .V X ' ' 'r
' , " ' N i "
fee
It is not only with members of th royal family anal
nobility, with officials of high rank and diplomat that
Mrs. Tower Is popular. 8b possesses to a narked d
gree the bappy faculty of doing just th right thins; at
the right moment, and of saying tha proper thins prompt'
ly. Leading Americans In Berlin there are something
like 2500 in th American colony are mad to feel thai
they are always welcome at the home of their country!
official representative.
As an Instance of Mrs. Tower's thoughtfulnesa, tt Is)
recalled that, early, during her stay In Berlin, she ha4
engaged passage for a trip to America. Learning, how
ever, that the International Woman' Council was to meet
In that city In a short time, she canceled tha pasag
find remained over In order to extend a courteous wU
come and the hospitality of "her bom to her country
women attending the gathering.
Three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Tower are now being; ed
urated In this country, and the fond mother occasionally)
takes a trip across to visit them.
This accomplished and gracious woman was formerly
Miss Helen Smith, daughter of O. Frank Smith, of Oak)
land, CaL In 1888 she was married to Mr. Towar, a
...wealthy representative of an old Philadelphia family.
Their narrled life has been Ideal, It Is said; certainly)
the wife has proved of vast assistance In making tha
publlo career of the husband a conspicuous success.
A Happy Royal Wife
VERT llttl Is heard nowadays of Princess Louis,
the daughter, of Queen Victoria, who astonished
the world some thirty-six years ago by declining:
proffered alliances among the royalty of Kuropa and!
bestowing her hand In marriage upon a subject, th)
Marqul of Lome.
Sine then Lord Lorn haa bcom th Duke of
Argyll, and ha attained some prominence as an author.
During most of th tlm sine his marrlag h and hla'
royal wife have lived quietly in the country, wher th
duke has devoted himself to literature and th peaceful
pursuits of the country gentleman.
From the time he was 23 years old until his accession!
to the peerage, the duke was a member of th House of
Commons, breaking his long term for a tlm to becoma
governor general of Canada.
HI marriage with Princess Louise created fr-
mendous excitement at th tlm.
It waa a roost unusual thing for th daughter of
living and reigning sovereign to bestow her hand upon
a subject. Such a thing had not happened for five cntu
rles not sine the days of the Black Prince.
It was something In the nature of a revolution. But
the general feeling was In favor of It. In a cartoon in
Punch Princess Louise was seen leaping over a ring
fence, , supposed to represent the barrier of royal rank.
The policy of the queen in allowing this fence to ba
crossed waa commented upon all over th country la
appreciative terms.
A marriage portion of 150,000 waa conferred upon th
princess and an annuity of $30,000 settled upon her to?
Parliament without a dissenting voice.
But the feeling In Scotland or. perhaps. It would ba
more correct to say in th "Campbell country," the part
where the duke Is lord of the land and the chief of tha
clan-while equally In favor of the match, waa different
in Its point of view. It waa expressed amusingly by aa
ancient Highlander at Inverary.
"D'ye ken. Tonal." said some on to him, "that tha
queen's daughter is a gaen to marry the chief's son
today?"
"? ,ut. Bne',n be a P"1 woman the noo," waa
the dignified reply, accompanied by a sage wag of th
head. To the old man's mind the son of th chief of tha
Campbells was without an equal In rank.
triumph was no less overwhelming. One of th greatest
successes of her entire career has been in "Iphlgeni,"1
which sh rendered with such feeling as to conquer over)
audience.
M. Georges Clemenceau has been called tha busiest
man In France, and on of the least obtrusive. He care
little for show, but haa an immense capacity for work.
Instead of living In th magnificent palace provided
for the one occupying hi position, M. Clemenceau prefer
to dwell in a modest apartment on th Ru Franklin,
which he has occupied for many years. He Uvea quit
alone, except for a cook and a manservant, and nts
talns only his most Intimate friends, which means very
few people. The apartment Is on the ground floor and
opens on a garden overlooking the Seine and a beautiful
panorama of the city. His pets are a handsome white bull
terrier and many large birds, such as storks, peacocks and
barnyard fowl.
Each morning at 5 o'clock M. Clemenceau gets up and
goes through gymnastio exercises, which ar followed by
a cold plunge. At 7 he haa- his breakfast, which Is hi
heaviest meal, and consists of about a dosen eggs and
some cold meat. He never drinks anything but water, ex
cept when obliged to do otherwise at a banquet.
BEGINS WORK EARLY
At 8 o'clock he goea to th ministry and begins work.
After reading his letters and dictating the answers, ha
scans the newspaper clippings which are brought to
hlm, and selects these dealing with matters In which
inspection and reform are needed. .j ,
At 10 o'clock he receives the persons to whom ap
pointments have been given, and at U o'clock goes home
to the Rue Franklin and has luncheon, 'which consists of
a soft boiled egg and a glass of spring water. Then he
goes to his library or out into the garden. If th weather
Is fine, and spends an hour reading, preferably old Greek
text. At 2 o'clock he goes back to work, visits th Senaf
and the Chamber of Deputies and the President, and 'call
upon any Important personages with whom he may hava
business or courtesies to exchange. . - .
Rv E o'clock he Is back at the ministry, signs th out
going mall, etc., receives visitors, attends to the business
of his office, etc.. till or B o'clock. M. Clemenoeau makes . j
it a point or Clning in town as nine as possioie, ana bo
cepts oaty those official Invitations which he cannot refuse. ; , '
At 10 o'clock ha Is baek at his offle again, and works i
with his secretaries and members of his - ministry until i
midnight, often later. He gets along with very lilt!
sleep, but sleeps soundly. ' .' '
demenoeau's first wire was a New England girl, and
he has always been quite friendly to th United States.;
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