The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-27
WRITTEN FOB THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
BY GEORGE CARY E~GGLESTON.

WRITTEN FOX THE SJNDAf REfOBLlC.
BY GEORGE CARY EGGLESTON.
A few days ago 1 went, by his courteous
invitation. to have a chat with Mr.. secre-
tary Of State John Hay. II seems a bit odd
and a trife awkward to US old stasers in
literature and journalism to employ the Tor
NAL official address OF Mr.. Secretary" in
speaking to one whom we long ago knew
as a most gifted fellow worker. and whom
We then addressed simply as "Mr. Hay"
In the course of our talk on this recent
occasion l several times forgot the official
formality and addressed him as Mr.. Hay
Once / apologized for the f~orgetfulness. and
he responded: Mr.. Hay is good enough.
don't bother about that. We are not dip
lomats discussing state affairs, but old ac-
auaintances talking over old times"
/ found him scarcely at all changed since
those ''o!d times to which he referred.
when l used to meet him at the fortnishtly
receptions of the Authors Cluo, or even
since those still older times when he edited
the New York Tribune in Mr.. Whitelaw
Reds absence, and when 1 went to him
now and then for instruction regarding
writing commissions that he had given me.
He is twenty years older than he was
when / first had the pleasure of knowing
him, but he does not look it in the least.
The hair and beard that We're brown then
are q trlHe STaEel now, Out there II do-
solutely none Of those lines In the face
that betoken age or WEAKNESS or break
down.
Better still, the dignity and the response
bility of high place have wrought no change
In his demeanOr that the closest observer
can detect. 1t occurred to me, as l sat
and talked with him. that herein lies the
secret of his great success in statecraft and
diplomacy. He has brought TO bear upon
~ rar,aftora paOntfzrfnn~ rrariSaIC tho S1mR
frank honesty, the same gentle courtesy
and the same resoIute will that in earlier
and less distinguished years he brought TO
bear upon matters journalistic and affairs
of immea surably less Importance.
Determination to Maintain His
Conception of Right.
No man of even ordinary perceptions can
talk with Mr.. Hay and come away doubling
his sincerity or the purity OF his purposes
or the resoluteness of his determination TO
maintain his conceptions OF right.
There has been a radical change in the
methods of diplomacy since Tallyrand cyni-
cally said that words were meant to cor-
ceal thought. and since another great diplo-
mat declared that he always deceived his
interlocutor by telling him the truth And
Mr.. Hay is perhaps the best example We
have Of that newer and better type Of dipio-
Ahuk VAlo AAbc
purpose TO bear upon matters OF high state.
1t Is no wonder that he has SO easily won
the Chancelleries of Europe 10 his will and
negotiated for his country treaties which 1t
would have been impossible for any diplo-
mat of the cider school to secure. The gen.
tie sincerity of the man has made all that a
matter OF course
But IL was not Of state analrs tnaS
I talked with Mr.. Secretary Hay
You once told me-" 1 said. IAN interest
ing story of how you came to write the
pike County Ballads May l publish 1t as
a matter of literary interest?'
Certainly" he said. land in order that
Won NAV tell 1t correctly 1 will relate the
circumstances again. I was staying in a !
country house. One hot summer Sunday l
INT 70 church and sleepily listened to a
sarmon in which a good old parson. without
a n~article of the sense OF humor In MS
makeup. told in substance the story OF
Little Breeches-' ~.
"a. 7 sat there in the sultriness OF that
a,II s,mmer Sunday I fell to thinking OF
pike County methods Of thought. ana OF
a.hot impression such a story would mako
mon the peculiar Pike County mind. There
ara two Pike counties. you know-one In
Illinois and the other confronting 1t across
mississippi. in Missouri. But the popu-
,a,,ons of the two are quite alike-isomeric'