The times., 1899-01-05

sion to accept the office. the reason given
being that. since the Vatican has not been
invited to take part in the conference. it
would be improper for a high dignitary
of the Papal court 10 attend it in an Of
fetal capcity. We refer to the cabled
statement with some reserve, as it may
well be doubted that Leo XIII would place
such an interdict upon an American citi-
zen, even though a churchman.
Assuming the correctness of the dis
patch. it would be rather interesting to
know upon whom the mantle of this pleas
ant mission is likely TO fall. No doubt
Whitelaw Reid has fled his claim before
this, and perhaps he may land the prize.
He would be the first 10 admit with ali the
frankness of his open nature that he is
exactly the man for the emergeney-a view
with which we are unable completely TO
concur. Whiteiaw Reid is a man of peace,
of course, but, not TO put too fine a point
upon it, there are others.
President Mckinley will naturally be
somewhat hampered in his selection. 1t
would never 90 10 send q warrior for in
stance; one still dripping with the gore
of Spain. That would be sadly out of
place and might lead the gentle Nicholas
10 suspect a sarcasm. 1t would be too
much like delegating professional butch
er to preside over convention OF the So
ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to AMI
mails. The polite and proper thing would
be to appoint some person with riotously
notorious reputation for peace at any price
and a horror of strife equal to the speed
OF tine fastest railway train.
There are patriots who would fill the
bill. Alger would be an ideal envoy, but
he is probably TOO busy. There are many
different kinds of valuable concessions end
franchises on the colonial bargain coun-
ter just at present. They are all under the
Jurisdiction and at the final disposal of
the Secretary Of War. They need watch
ing. We're it not that the terrible slaugh-
ter of that one Matanzas mule is a bar
sinister on the peace escutcheon OF Samp-
SON he might do excellently well; but the
least drop of blood, even that of n harmless
necessary quadruped, amounts to COM
plete estoppeI
We are afraid that the Administration
will have TO fall back on Shafter. Not a
thing can be found in his record to dis
qualify him from taking the place. More
over the job ought to be 10 his liking. He
found it too hot for him even three miles
in the rear of the firing line at Santiago;
while St. Petersburg is delightfully."- cool
and his three hundred pounds of sick
flesh would be famously comfortable in
one of the Cars big armchairs. If the
conference is to be a body with authority
to administer oaths. we cannot think of a
man who would be as useful as Shafter.
He could not only administer all of the
standard varieties, but invent a new one
every minute.
We do not intend to charge Mr.. McKin-
ley cent for the suggestion, but. as a
matter of fact, if he wants an ideal man
Of peace he might go farther and fare
worse than TO seize upon and utilize Shat
ter. Let him embalm this meat Of counsel
in the tincandescenee CT his memory, and
issue it when the time and the confection
are ripe. II anything more than another
would e:nbcdy the idea of eternal absten-
tation from the sickening cruelties of war,
it would be Shafter.