The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-05
Many Eminent Americans of
Worldwide Fame.
100000 As A RETAINING FEE
Men Who stand n the Head Of Their Pro.
fession and Get Bis Pay for Their Advice
international Law Productive Of Most
ofrhe Big Fees-John W. Foster said TO
Enjoy the Largest Practice Of lnterna-
rionaI Lawyer.-Lawyer of New York.


the standard retaining fee is Sl0,@o IL
is TO the credit Of America. Isolated from
the other great nations by broad stretch
es of ocean, that many OF our country
men are numbered among the practition-
ers of international law. Benjamin HaT-
rison, eX-Presdent, and Benjamin +.
Tracy, ex-Secretary of the Navy. have
been unusually prominent i'm this calling,
having served as counsel for Venezuela
before the arbitration commission which
has just settled the boundary conten-
tlons between that country and Great
Britain. Two others, Chief Justice Fuller
and Justice Brewer. by reason OF their
serving on the commission itself, may be
regarded as highly important factors in
the substitution of arguments and judi
cial decisions by the nations of the earth
for bullets and bloody victories.
1t is significant that the principles of
1 international law as now accepted were
eXpounded thoroughly first by Henry
Wheaton, an American. His book on the
subject was received as authority every
where, Immediately after publication, and
! has retained its pre- aminence TO this day.
Not only was 1t one of the most impor-
tant contributions to modern law litera-
ture, but its preparation was a task of
/ great difficulty, for there are no interna-
! tonal statutes; there is no hard and fast
legislation binding on the peoples Of the
earth With regard 10 the conduct of
neutral nations In times of war the car
Iying ou of the worlds postal business
and some other things, certain agreements
rave been made, but these are the near
est existing approaches to enactments
which are unive: sally recognized, and
there is no provision for Furnishing the
nation which disreg2rds them. With re-
sard to such points as are not covered
! by these agreements. international law. as
laid down by Wheaton and supplementary
Writers, and under which international
| lawyers practice. Is based on broad COM
| mon sense as accepted by the various ma
| tions and reduced to definite terms. Some
| one has said that international law is q
matter Of international consent. Wheat
on's book has been translated into every
| language used in Europe. also Chinese and
| japanese. He acquired the knowledge of
| international usages and customs neces-
/ sary to the preparation of such a work
/ in the years he spent as a diplomat in the
/ service of his country The writing OF
/ the book took up other years. which could
not have been occupied to the better ad-
vantage Of the world at large.
| Biggest International Practice.
! They say that John W. Foster, former
| Secretary of State. has the LARGEST inter
national law practice, of any American.
| His preparation for the profession was
such as hardly would fit man for it in
any land under the sun but this. Foster
was born in Evansville. Ind. His father.
/ Matthew Foster, was a Judge. John w
/ was educated at the Bloomington Univer-
! sity and the law department of Harvard,
and was a school teacher years before
/ the civil war He was city attorney of
! Evansville when the struggle between the
! North and the South began He served
as major of the Twenty-fiftn Indiana till
after the battle of Fort Donelson. Then
| he organized the Sixty-ffth Indiana. and
| served TO the close of hostiities as it's
| colonel. After the war he went into pol
| tiles, business, and journalism. besides re-
| sumlng his legal practice to some extent.
He was postmaster at Evansville for a
few years. His business interests were
| centered for a time at Cincinnati, where
/ he became partner in a wholesale grocery
firm. His newspaper enterprise was the
| Evansville Journal. Soon after Grant be
| me President he made Foster United
States Minister to Mexico.
His special training for the practice of
! International law began with the assump-
| ion of the duties as representative of
/ this government in the capital where once
| the AZtecs reigned Foster remained sew
en- years in Mexico as Minister. then held
| a similar position in Russia for two years
and a half, and then served in Spain for
a year and a half. He improved every
| opportunity TO keep his eyes open in each
| Of these lands. While Harrison was Pres
| ldent and Blaine waS Secretary Of State
| Foster was employed by the government
as special plenipOtentiary TO negotiate re-
ciprocity treaties with South American
I republics. He also negotiated CONNER
cial treaty with Spain. which was con-
| sidered good thing by Harrison. Blaine.
and the Republican party, but which
/ President Cleveland threw down promptly
Nv Withdra wing 1t from the Senate though
| Foster was the agent selected by the new
administration 20 negotiate another
/ ueaty. Before this. when Blaine resigned
as Secretary of State. Foster had been ap-
pointed by Harrison 10 fill the plare.
! Throughout Rlaine's term az head Of the
State Department and also his own FOs-
/ ter's experience in international law was
Invaluable, since, besides making COmpli-
Gated negotiations with South AmeTi-
cans and Spaniards. he had 10 prepare
| the case OF our government in the DISPUTE
( with Great Britain over the seals which
/ was adiudged by the arbitration tribunal
/ at Paris.
Immediately after the adjournment of
/ that bodv Mr.. Foster made a tour around
the world. In the far East he was receiv-
80 with exceptional hOnOrs. I'm part due
to his personal acquaintance with dis
| tinguished Orientals who had represent .
! Cd their countries at Washington On re-
I turning 10 America he took ND the prac-
tice OF international law as a Drivate citi-
n -. 49,
and soon after was requested by the Chi
nese government 20 act for II IN the peace
NEGOTIATIONS with Japan. HIS services ere
said 10 have been eminentlv@ Satisfactory
10 his employers. China. being the beaten
ration. had 10 make concessions, but al
the world agreed that Fosters work light
ened her burdens materially.
| Fosters clients at ore time and anothe'
have included Spain. Holland. England anf
Portugal besides China 1t Is said thai
his fee from China when dealing with
Iapsn was s2z0 oNh. Other statements thai
u was ONLY $500 have been made. bui
the larger figure is probably more neaTlS
/ correct than the latter Acc0riinO 20 q
arOlis. BENJAMIN Harrison's fec from
Venezuela was also SE0 90 This Is 2
pretty fat sum. but Mr. Harrison Is saif
I % have given nearly all his time 90 m.
preparation and argument Of the case foi
almost two wears. The amount T. under
stood 10 have been nxed by The Venezue
Ian government after Harrison had locke
The case over carefully and decided tha
England was in the wrong.
Big Lawyers Of New York.
London q HEADQUARTERS for more inter
national lawyers than any other city OF
earth. AMI mcst Of the officers of the In
ternatlOnal Law Association live IN tha
city. But New York Is headquarters foi
more eminent American members OF th'
profession than any other city, though 8
was apparent az the thirteenth annua
meeting OF the association. held last sum
mer IN Buffalo. that many American
cities AMI towns have lawyers who con
sl8er themselves high up In internationa
Law practice
Frederic r. coudert OF this city. Is on
% the most prominent American inteTna
t.onai lawyers Possibly his practice 4
larger than AF. FosteTs-it has beer
longer. anyway Nr. Couder1s ancestry