The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-31
SECRETARY OF STATE HAY.
Personal characteristics of the New
Occupant of the Office.

Washington Letter in the Independent
When 1 first saw Mr.. John Hay he was
sitting at his editorial desk in the office of
the New York Tribune some twenty-four
years ago, and Little Brooches and others
or the Pike County Ballads were his chief
title to fame, for his life of Lincoln, in
collaboration with Mr. Nicolay, had not
been written. When / saw him last year he
was in the American legation in London
dispensing the hospitality of the United
States with his usual affability. When L
saw him the other day he was sitting in
what ranks as the most important chair
IN the executive department next to that
of the President of the United States-in the
chair of the secretary of state Although
there was good pile of papers on his desk
at his left hand, he had nevertheless the air
or the man OF perfect leisure. Mr.. Hay does
not impress one as a stirring man of bust
ness. You are impressed with the ease, self
possession and deIiberation of the literary
man. The transition of the literary man to
the diplomatist is in his case easily made.
for he is not literary recluse. His long
experience in journalism his previous ex-
perience of Washington and his training in
the diplomatic service in Spain and in Eng
land have furnished broad preparation
Tor his duties as secretary of state. He has
the advantage, too, of wealth, social posi-
ton and a. broad cosmopolitan experience.
Secretary Hay in his ease of manner social
facility and unaffected but unmistakable
literary air reminds me of James Russell
Lowell Not that there are not strong
has not an individuality and flavor of his
own, but, so far as men can be grouped into
types, Mr.: Hay will be grouped with Lowell
and Motley rather than with Seward,
Evarts Fish, Gresham or Sherman
was brought into official relation with all
these secretaries of state. The office has
Incnt. When Mr.. Seward held the portfolio,
though he was ably seconded by his son
as assistant secretary, there was no man
in the department who did more work than
he. His type of mind naturally fitted him
for diplomatic methods and habits Wen
dell Phillips compared him to the Damascus
screw scabbard. His mind was flexible and
we'll tempered. He was a match for the
most skillful adversary in diplomatic fenc-
ing. he could parry and postpone, but when
he took up a case and determined to go to
the bottom of it, he made thorough work
and left no aspect of it unstudied What he
acquisition of Alaska; but / fear it would
give our anti-imperialist friends the night
mare to dream, as Mr. Seward told me he
had dreamed, of federation union of
all the North and South American republics
under our flag.
Mr. Fish was very different from Mr.. Sew
ard, but also a hard worker. He was a gen.
tleman and a scholar, and his personality
was strong element in his diplomatic sue
cess Mr.: Evarts was more like his bosom
friend, Mr.. Seward. He was great consti-
tutlonal lawyer, with mind trained and de-
veloped in graphing with the greatest
questions which presented themselves in the
greatest crisis of our national history. Mr..
Gresham was of another type. and when
saw and knew him he impressed me as a
man Of great kindness, but as dominated by
the President in his policy. However it may
nave been in LincolnS administration. the
international relations of the United States
under Mr.. johnson were entirely in the
hands of Mr.. Seward Mr. Gresham, on the
other hand, seemed more like a clerk to
President Cleveland. When Mr. Olney took
the portfolio there was another strong man
in the chair. | have in my possession an
official document. signed by Grover Cleve-
land and Richard Oney. Mr.. Cleveland S
signature is small and effeminate and Mr.
OlneyS big enough to be read across the
room. From the modest unassuming, lady
ike handwriting of the President, you would
think he was a clerk to his secretary 1t is
seldom that a signature so falsely repre-
SentS the personality of a writer. Mr. CleVe-
land and Mr.. Olney were both strong men.
Ihey would have struck fire if they had
clashed. Mr.. Olney had mind Of his own.
He knew what he wanted, he was prompt
and decided in judgment, and it is quite
evident from his Atlantic article that his
views on the development of the United
states as great world power are his own
and not those of his former chief
With the advent of Mr.. Sherman the State
Department secured a man of recognized
ability and Of national fame who if he had
been called to this office in the vigor of his
manhood, would have filled it with honor
took the place at time when the strongest
man in the Cabinet should have been in the
State Department He was entitled to the
rest and well-earned laurels of his long and
fact that it was impossible for him to take
up personally the exacting work of this Of
fice at critical time He wisely relied upon
his subordinates. Judge Day became prac-
tically and afterWard officially the secretary
OF state. Nov, Mr. Hay brings vigor, ex-
per1ence wealth, geniality, knowledge of
official routine and a trained capacity for
treating international questions.