Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-10-20
AREVENUE DIPLOMAT
SOMETHING or THE REPUBLICAN
SECRETARY OF STATE.

dalous. The facts in support Of that
statement are not difficult to produce.
The three more positively scandalous
appointments are those of John Wanna
maker, John W. Foster and Stephen B.
Elkins.
Wanamaker's case has been sufficiently
dealt with already. His appointment
was made in fulfllment Of bargain.
1t was bought with money. 1t was de-
livered at the demand of the men who
had furnished the corruption fund with
which Mr.. Harrison's election was pur-
chased.
John W. Foster was made secretary
of state, to the amazement of everybody
who knew aught of the career of the
man or of the dignity of the Office, as a
part of Mr.. Hsrrison's plan to secure re-
election. 1t helped or was expected to
help in Indiana, where disaffection was
rife in spite of the efforts of Consul
General New, who had been called home
from his post of duty to repay the presi-
dent for his appointment by fixing" the
Hoosier State.
Mr.. Fosters unftness for the position
was obvious. 1t was not so much intel
lectual as moral and historical. Its evi-
dence lay in the history of his official
and unofficial dealings with the govern.
ment in which he was thus called upol.
to take one of the most exalted places.
Mr.. Foster had large ability. 1t had
been rendered conspicuous by his skill
in combining the dignity Of diplomatic
station with the thrift of the claim
agent. He had experience in dealing
with foreign affairs. 1t had been gained
at the expense Of the government, when
Mr.. Foster turned to account as lobby
list, attorney and claim agent the in
formation he had gained as q govern
ment representative. As The World said
at the time of his appointment, his
record had been "a curious tumble of
diplomatic engagements for and against
the United States" He had rarely held
a post in the service of his country with.
out making it the stepping stone to en-.
ployment by q foreign nation in opposi-
ton to his country or without utilizing
the information gained in his official
position for the advantage Of some client
with claims against the United States.
His first important post was that of
minister to Mexico, from 1878 to 1880.
There he so far commended himself to
the Mexican authorities that they made
it profitable for him to give up represent
ing the United States and accept re,
tainer to represent Mexico as attorney
against the United States.
The matter was notorious at the time.
The government of the United States,
acting on behalf of it's citizens, had
pressed against Mexico certain claims
for damages sustained by Americans,
known as the We'll La Abra claims.
After long negotiation the matter had
been passed upon by commission and
Judgment had been given for the claim
ants. The Mexican government had &C
cepted the decision and paid over the
money to our government for distribu
ton.
Then came Mr.. Foster, late minister
} of the United States to Mexico, in the
new character of attorney for Mexico
with the allegation that fraud had been
employed in securing the award. He
filed protest against the distribution Of
the money, which resulted in the stop
page of proceedings at that point The
money has never been paid over to the
men to whom it belongs. The ex-min
lister of the United States has thus man
J aged as attorney for the foreign power
to unsettle matter of which settlement
had been secured at great cost and by
long negotiation. He has made it agar
subject Of dispute between the two gov
, ernments.
AS attorney he has done more to create
differences between the two countries
,, than he ever did as minister to allay
them. Both sides paid him for his serv
ices, and now that he is at the head o.
the state department he may fairly b.
!, regarded as the counsel on both sides ii
any further negotiations that may b.
had concerning this matter. He is sci
, to prosecute claim which he has beer
paid by the defendant to declare wrong
full and fraudulent. He must as secre
tary of state oppose his own contentious
.. made in his capacity of attorney fol
| Mexico. He must as secretary deny tx
his clients all that they have paid hin
as lawyer to secure for them, or else
he must betray his trust as secretary il
the interest of his business as attorney!
This is what comes of selecting fol
the head Of the state department an at
torney who has combined the profes
sions of diplomat and foreign claim
agent, with greater regard for the profits
to be made in the one business than TO
the honorable service to be rendered tx
his country in the other.
But this is not the worst of the mat
ter. Mr.. Foster has not hesitated tt
serve his two masters at one and the
same time. 1t Is not case Of public
officer called upon to deal officially with
questions with which he was long agC
concerned as attorney. Mr.. Foster hal
acted in behalf of his Mexican client!
and in opposition to the state depart
ment since he entered that department
in active capacity. He did SO at tint
when he was the actual, though not thu
official, head of the state department.
the actual director of its affairs. Suci
was his position during last winter.
His employment in the state depart
ment at that time was constant, impor
tant and confidential. Yet when thes,
We'll La Abra claims were in hearing be
fore the house committee ON foreign
affairs during the last session Of con
gress, Mr. Foster came down from tn
state department to the committee room
to argue as Mexico's attorney agains
the case Of the American claimants. Hi
appearance in such capacity under sucl
circumstances evoked q protest O