The San Francisco call., 1899-03-17
q MISPLACED Wit.


al one OF the foremost forensic orators OF New
- York and one of its wittiest afterdlnner speak
ers AS peader he is perhaps without equal at the
New York bar, and at the banquet board his only
rival is Chauncey Depew His appointment as En-
bassador the court of ST James has given him an
opportunity TO shine in London and he has taken ad
vantage of the first banquet given in his honor to
dazzle the Britishers.
The speech witty and genial and well suited to
the audience 1t received with manifestations OF
rapturous pleasure the repeatedly cheered
and we are told that at its close he took his seat
amid perfect thunders of applause" So far the
immediate effect is concerned, therefore, the Embas
sador achieved brilliant success, and his debut in
diplomacy a genuine triumph.
Unfortunately the wit of the address does not stand
the of translation from spoken words to printed
report, Americans reading the speech far away from
the glow of the lights, the sound OF the music the
odor of flowers the sunptuous surroundings OF the
rich banquet hall, and hearing nothing of the sonorous
voice of the orator. nor catching any light from his
expressive countenance, will not be well pleased
with the speech the British banqueters
In truth Mr. Choate's address is another evidence
that what in private citizen may pass pleasant
wit will, when coming from an ambassador, sound
like foolish word A diplomatist charged with the
duty of representing his country abroad cannot be
allowed the freedom permitted to eloquent gen
teman talking to his people and familiar friends
over the wanuts and the wine at home. When he
takes that liberty his most genial saes become his
greatest bunders, because hardly bunder is ever
worse than that OF misplaced wit.
An illustration Of Mr.. Choates mistake in this re-
spect is to be found in his reference the Venezue
Ian controversy between this country and Great
britain On that subject our Embassador is reported
to have said to the applauding banqueters: You
know on our side of the water we love occasionally
to twist the lions tail for the sport OF hearing
him roar Well, that time he disappointed us. He
would not roar at all. He sat silent the Sphinx
and by dnt of mutual forbearance, sober second
thought aiding your sober first thought avoided
everything but mere war OF words.
1t would be difficult to conceive more objection
able statement than that the part of an American
Embassador Even Bayard never did The
part taken by the American Government in the
Venezuelan affair was not designed to twist the lions
tail to make him roar but to uphold the Monroe doc
rine one of the cardinal policies OF the republic to
which our people are most devoted Nor is it cor
rect to say our sober second thought the issue
accorded with the sober first thought of Great Britain
We had no second thought on the question at all
The statements and even the tone OF the Venezuelan
message firmly approved to-day as when the
document was first made public.
OF course all understand the ambassador
joking. He was making free and easy after-dinner
speech along lines to which he has been accustomed
L was success in that respect for it the table in
roar, but Mr. Choate is likely to be surprised by
answering roar from this country which will not be
Sc pleasing to his ears and then he will learn there
is no petard more dangerous to dplomatist than a
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