The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-22
The Dorto.inr of Har

That was a solemn and impressive
spectacle at Princeton University when
the once peasant poet, but now illus
trious British statesman. the Hon. John
Hay, was. with pomp and circumstance.
invested with the degree of Doctor of
Laws. Popular opinion will be with us
when we remark that the service which
earned this distinction, which was that
of doctoring treaties and such things,
could have been better rewarded with a
degree suggesting the cause. But, as a
treaty is the supreme law of the land
until Congress wipes 1t off from the slate
with an act or joint resolution. perhaps
the principle is the same.
Princeton, which has taken the re-
mains OF Grover Cleveland to fits arms.
very properly honors one who is more
anglomaniac than the other. Princeton
is forgiving. 1t condcnes the crime Of
the British troops in the Revolution,
who destroyed its valuable library ard
scientific instruments. in Doctoring
gentleman who is more of an English
man than the Marquis Of Salisbury.
=
Pauncefote Treaty. the enactment of the
Claytcn-B ulwer Treaty, and the hauling
down OF our flag in Alaska. Shades of old
DR.. Mccosh, To what a strange pass has
the orershadowing influence CT the trusts
in New Jersey brought this venerable in
stitution of learning,
But we must say that Mr.. Hay accept
ed the Ii. d. in a modest and his best
PiccadIlly manner. Addressing the Presi-
dent of the University, he said: my graft
tude for this distinguished honor is not d.
minished-it is rather enhanced-by the
sense CT my personal unworthiness CT it."
OF course everybody expects a public
man to say this sort OF thing. In NEST
cases he would better leave it unsaid
and in the condition Of matter of con-
yentioral assumption. He continued:
81 accept 1t, sig. with deep appreciation, for
] am allowed TO interpret il sign o! your
approval of the manner in which ] and my col
leagues in the Government have, Under the drec-
tion Of the President. conducted the foreign
lations of the country for the past two years
Certainly Mr. Hay was allowed to inter-
pref The compliment in exactly that way.
It was academic praise from cloistered
foundation amiably DESTROYS to seal its
faith in the new trust order of things
with some OF the trust blood. 1t was q
delicately conveyed endorsement OF the
Mckinley -Salisbury alliance, and of the
surrender to England of two thousand
square miles of territory in Alaska. In
his acceptance, Mr.. Hay, with equal deli
cacy, took the compliment as intended for
Gus" Who is us? Hanna, Mckinley.
Rockefeller. ct i'd genus omne. with Hay
en- the side. is "us."
The two years during which the foreign
relations of The United States have been
conducted by us were feelingly referred
TO by the new Doctor He said:
They have been years Of much labor and
many perplexities. and il any measure OF sue
cess has attended onr efforts. it has been not
TO any strength ability Of mine, bat 10 the
fact that clearly marked out
for us by a century Of national traditions from
which we have never swei4ed."
A neat sentiment, but not exactly true.
Mr.. Hay accurately states that the
achievements of his service in the Foreign
Office are not attributable to ''any
strength or ability" OF his, because the
Inspiration, and largely the text, of his
efforts may be ascribed to Downing
Street. where the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
was confected while Mark Hanna was in