The times., 1898-02-14
MONDAY. FEBRUARY Il, 1895.
Spelling a Fa rmer.


According to story going the rounds
of the capital, it was as late as Satur-
day that Senator who was calling on
Secretary sherman asked that aged
but astute diplomatist what he
thought Of the Spanish situation 1t is
said that our Minister of Foreign At
fairs replied that, as long rs De LONE
had denied having written the letter TO
Canaleias, the matter was at an end.
This of course, is reasonably hui
morous; but the intrinsic inaccuracy OF
Mir. Shermans diagnosis was not near
ly as unfortunate as the mistake. OF,
rather. series Of mistakes, made by his
farmer deputy throughout the entire
progress of the incident. No one would
think of casting any reflection Of
personal character upon the amiable
agriculturist from Canton. who is the
AIachiavelli the Cayour. Richelieu,
NIazarin and TaIleyrand OF the present
Administration. all in one, performing
the onerous and delicate work of his
position To the entire satisfaction Of his
na tive village.
1t must be conceded. however, that
some Of his actions in connection with
the De LONE matter have been deplo-
rable. Perhaps only 50 from strictly
conventional point of view: but still to
be regretted. 1t was bad enough to let
the willy Spanish envoy get ahead of
him by resigning. 1t was much worse
for him to walk over TO the Spanish le-
cation. there enter sacred Spanish ter
Titory and try To argue out the case
with Senior Dupuy De LONE. There is a
strong suggestion in this episode that
a diplomatist capable Of establishing
such q new and startling precedent i'm
the intercourse of nations. ought to be
decorated. The most exalted order of
the strait jacket would look just right
on him. We must not forget that the
Acting Secretary. on the day of the oc-
currence. last Wednesday. had sent for
the Spaniard, and that the latter had
net paid the least attention to the in
vitation. The humiliation involved in
the visit to the legation was thereby
greatly accentuated.
The blunder of permitting the Span
ish secretary of legation TO present his
credentials as charge d'affaires, and re-
ceiving him in that capacity before one
word of disavowal or apology had been
received from Madrid was almost as
bad. Yesterdays cable dispatches an
nounced that the Spanish Minister of
Foreign Affairs had declared the De
LONE incident to have closed satisfac-
torily with Judge Days reception of /
Senor Juan du Bose. We can imagine
the sardonic grin which accompanied
the statement.
The usefulness of great and good
citizens varies with their heredity. an
tecedents, abilities, associations. train /
ing and environment Many pulpit /
failure would have been a success in I
the blacksmith shop. An excellent car |
penter has often been spoiled to make |
poor physician. The most prolific of
all causes of failure in life is non-ad-
justment. Now We can imagine the
Gortschakoff of President McKinley's
Administration as a brilliant light on
the bench or at the bar of the county
court at Canton. We can picture him.
between court days, as the idol Of that
community, placidly hoeing his cab
bages or prudently pruning his pump
llns, amid the lulling loveliness of
sunlit air. lush with the hum of bees
and the lowing Of kline. To drag man
from the intellectual pursuits, the hon
ors and the bucolic repose of such an
existence, and compel him to wear
evening Clothes in an atmosphere made
up of strange tongues, unheard of con-
ventions and professional ethics, stand
ards and customs never before encoun-
tered, is as cruel as it is to seize one
OF our quadrumanous simian relatives
In his arboreal retreat, force upon him
the mock habiliments of mankind. and
make him dance with a chain around
his neck to the alluring strains of a
hand organ, operated by some astute
scion of European nobility.
The sight of such thing always
makes the charitable beholder wish
that he could return the weary exile
and slave to the freedom of his jungle.
Mr.. Mckinley has the name of being a !
man. We feel sure that !
ne would look at il in the same way.
After the events of the past week. i