Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-07-22
Facts of Importance in the History Of
BIaine's Successor in the State
Department.
Foster Shown Up to Be a Representa-
tive of Interests Hostile to the
United States.
His Latest Act in Favor Of Chinese
Labor as Against the Ameri-
lean W0rkmen.

The record Of John w. Foster, secre~
tary Of state, is not an agreeable one. 1t
is a curious tumble Of diplomatic engage
menta for and against the United States
lie had been claim agent rather than a
diplomat and it can be said Of him that
be has rarely held post In the gift OF the
United States which be did not subse
quentIy utilize TO the advantage Of other
employers who have held claims against
this government.
Mr.. Foster was appointed to his first
diplomatic mission Of Importance IN 1873,
when he was sent as minister to Mexico.
lie remained there till 1880 and immedi-
ateIy after his return he became The attor-
ney for the Mexican government in an
attempt to prevent the distribution
Of the Well PAb-a awards. These
awards had been Paid by M4xieo
50 Tie government ut IF the United States
IN Satisfaction Of damages sustained
by American citizens during the Mexican
war a commission had listened to the
evidence On both sides and had given
judgment against Mexico The money
lad been paid and no one expected to see
the case IeopeDed.
Suddenly, however Mr.. Foster claimed
to baye discovered that fraud had been
perpcfratcd in securing the award. As
the attorney for th" VI Xican government
he filed protest against the distribution Of
the award, and TO this day the money has
Dcen Withheld from tie claimants
That Fosters attorney ship had been con-
inuous there Is no doubt, and it is a
matter Of record that during the present
session Of congress he appeared before
the house committee on foreign affairs
and argued against the rights of the
American claimants, greatly to the as
constituent OF the attorneys who appeared
In their behalf.
Thus for period Of twelve years, dur
ing which time he has held numerous i'm
portant posts, Gen. Foster has been the
representative II IN Interest distinctly
hostile to the United States. He has also
served the Mexican government and par
ticularly the Mexican legation here IN
various other capacities.
Ia connection with the Wells l'Abra
claims, Secretary Eyarts took occasion to
express his surprise and Indignation at the
cGut-e Of Foster in obstructing the pay
men + claims which had been adjudicat
Ell bv a regularly appointed commission.
Mr.. Evlrts took the ground that it was
unprecedented to 20 behind the findings
ment bad been acknowledged and paid
In March, 1881, Gen. Foster was trans
ferred to Russia and acted as United
States minister at St Petersburg until
November, 1881, when he resigned to go
into the business of prosecuting interna
tiopal claims. After his return from
Russia he is sand to have beer consulting
attorney for the Russian legation in this
city. He involved himself In numerous
controversies concerning Russian affairs
and developed strong lmperlatlstiC ten
dency. On several occasions he entered
into violent disputes with Or. Kempster, a
special agent Of the United States, who
was sent to Russia to report on the condi-
tions Of peasant life IN tbnt c uutry
An interesting story F2ater's appoint
ment as minister TO spain is told
by Mr. Nathaniel Page, a we'll known
attorne' Of this city. who has been
Interested in international claims
for many years. To capital
correspondent Mr.. Paige said:
Fosters appointment to Spain was the
result of an intrigue. When in Mexico
he became very we'll acquainted with the
Spanish minister at that capital, Senior
Nicaragua He told Nicaragua that his
next ambition was to represent the United
States lit Madrid Soon after Maragua
was transferred from Mexico to Wash
ington and upon Fosters return to the
United States lie established very close
relations with the Spanish minister and
became the attorney Ct several large claims
OF Spanish subjects against the United
States
by manipulating matters cleverly he
succeeded III getting himself appointed
to the Spanish mission, although the
frie nds who helped him to the post were
entirely ignorant of the fact that he was at
that time retained attorney Of Spanish
subjects.
The claims which be represented were
those Of certain residents of Cuba, who
had supplied munitions of war to the con-
federacy, taking their pay in cotton
This cotton was eon6scated by the United
States, sold and the proceeds covered into
Inc treasury. This was the claim
which Foster undertook to prosecute.
1t may be taken for granted that he
did not push these claims during his in
cumbeucy as minister to Madrid. At
that post he was failure, all his treaties
being rejected by the senate The stories
told of his popularity With the leading
statesmen of Spain, at this time, are
absurd. He never received high recogni-
ton until he was sent there under the
present administration by Mr.. Blaine to
negotiate reciprocity treaty.
The fact that ne was sent by Mr..
Blaine. and had one OF Mr. Blaine's sons
with him, secured to him much cousidera-
ton, and he was received with cordial
ty he had never before experienced.
''As to the Cuban claims have referred
to, every secretary of state from Mr.. Fish
to Mr.. Bayard threw them out of the de-
partment.
Fosters influence with the Spanish
representatives IN this country, however,
was strong enough to prevent the settle.
ment OF some legitimate American claims
against Spain. Under Mr.. Cleveland's
admlnlstratlon Minister Curry, then at
Madrld, settled some very large matters.
OF which had knowledge by reason of
my connection with them. They were
claims arising out of the confseation of
large estates belonging to American citi
zens IN Cuba during the Cuban civil war
These estates we're all ordered to be re-
leased by a royal order secured by Gen.
Slckles when he was minister to Spain
under Grant. These claims were repre-
sented by Roscoe Conkling, the late Sam
uel Barlow, of New York, and myself
At a time when the claims had been al
lowed and we had received positive as
surances that they were about to be paid.
received the following cablegram from
my representative in Washington:
Spanish minister gives notice to state
department that Mora claims will not be
paid unless one cotton Spanish claim,
Foster, counsel, is also paid