The San Francisco call., 1898-08-27
SECRETARY HAY AND HIS TASK.

\ ARELY has the selection of any man TOT the R office of Secretary of State been recelVed Wlth a warmer more universal approval than 'iia' of Colonel John Hay, now Ambassador at the Courl of St. James In the Eastern press the nomination has been most cordially commended, there Deiiie hardly so much partisan opposition ana even Ill Great Britain there is evident widespread satiside tion at the choice
 It is safe to say that for the greater part of this commendation Colonel Hay is indebted more to what he has accomplished in literature than III statecrai The American people are always favorably inclined toward those who have distinguished themselves Tn the domain of letters and inrequently have con doned mistakes made by literary men serving as NH isters abroad which would have been severely oe nounced had they been committed by Ministers se- lccted solely for eminence in politics.
 Colonel Hay, however, has had much exper1ence m diplomacy, and while his accomplishments Tn that field have not been widely known as those ne mas achieved as an author they are nevertheiess ol nature sufficiently important to justify the sangune expectations that are held of his coming career as Secretary of State. He for four years private secretary of President Lincoln, afterward Secre- tary of the American legation Paris and at Madrid and has held with credit himself the important post of Ambassador to Great Britain These years of diplomatic experience have given him tralning TOT me work that lies before him. and fully justles the Pres- dent in selecting him for the place.
 The very universalty of the approval with which the appointment has been greeted however, will rem der difficult for the Secretary Of State to main tain the high prestige he now holds. Where every expects much some sure to be disapPolnt- ed Colonel Hay will be confronted at the outset by the complex problems of foreign policy arising out of the with Spain, and 1t goes without saying that whatever he pursues he will run contrary to large body of public opinion.
 The nation is at fork of the road. It is 10 be determined whether to preserve our separation from European conflicts or join Europe in the game of land grabbing in the Orient. The way IS a continuance in the sure paths of peace The otEer is into the conflicts of the world, where 'from the very conditions of things must necessarily be brought into antagonism with at least some oi the great powers with whom we friendly terms.
 British approval of the appointment of Colonel Hay the office of Secretary of State is due to belief in London that he will be favorable to something like alliance between Great Britain and the United States for the protection of their commercial interests That belief is deusion, for of Congress would never consent to such alliance The British, there fore to be disappointed to extent, and possibly good many people in this country will be equally so when the Secretary gets fairly to work
 There is all the therefore why the great mass of conservative citizens who understand the difficulties in the way of the administration should be consderate and loyal in supporting both the Pres- dent and his Secretary in conducting the nation safe through the crisis that confronts 1t.