The San Francisco call., 1903-09-10
SECRETARY HAY.

T pom the announcement OF the signing by the
United States and China OF the commercial
~ treaty which opens to trade the ports OF
AIukden and Tatungtao the London Spectator de
clared the event to be great triumph for Mr.. Hay,
and added: 1t is indeed crownng proof that he
is one Of the ablest and most successful OF living
diplomatsts, or rather Of Foreign Ministers"
Prohtng by the occasion, the Spectator makes use
OF 1t TO present brief but carefully prepared review
OF the work OF the Secretary together with est-
mate OF his rank statesman. 1t is pointed out
that when Great Britain received him Embassador
from the United States it was believed he would
achieve just such success might be expected OF a
Of letters sent to serve capital where letters
are honored by all classes and where literary distnc-
ton is passport to social and political preferment
1t was with surprise therefore, that when the
war with Spain broke out and the Embassador was
called upon deal with difficult problems OF diplo-
macy British observers saw Mr. Hay develop ca
pacity and courage of the highest order.
In reviewing that phase of the career OF Mr.. Hay
the Spectator says that the face of threats of Eu-
ropean intervention from some quarters and of a
thinly veed hostility elsewhere he showed himself
endowed with wise and comprehensive outlook on
affairs, a diplomatist who could cross swords with
the abest foreign diplomats and easily hold his own
1t goes to say: Instead as was prophesed OF
the Of letters being puzzled and perturbed by
the task OF meeting the hnesse and ,lostility of
deSterous professional diplomacy Mr.. Hay showed
himself perfectly self-possessed and able to
parry and thrust in the great game with the utmost
assurance. He showed that should occasion rise
he would know how to meet the bully with hrmness
how to take fulsome declarations of friendship at
their true value, and how great apparent risks
without showing trace OF uneasiness"
p~.t;sh critic s++r;b,,tae ,,,,cL
the training he had during his service as
private secretary to Lincoln during the Civil War
saying: ct was in such a place and such an at
mosphere Of fierce and fercer intrigue that the
young Hay watched and shared the serenity with
which Mr.. Lincoln faced and came victorious out OF
crisis after crisis After such training
under such master Mr.. Hay had little to learn A
shsllower man might possibly have unlearned this
great lesson generation of eisured ease but fine
spirits finely touched to fine issues and the true
steel of Mr. Hays character was brought by those
terrible years TO temper which it has never lost"
The great masses of the American people have not
needed this commendation OF a British critic TO
bring 10 their minds recognition of the genuine
greatness of the Secretary of State still it is gratfy-
ing to have this evidence that his worth is appre-
ciated abroad as well as at home AS his duties are
almost exclusively those OF Foreign Minister. his
influence is widely felt and from the first it has been
power making for the good of the world and the
maintenance OF peace secured by honesty and fair
dealing among nations among good men. In
that respect his influence is likely to endure after
he reres from Office so that he will be remembered
among the great Foreign Ministers of all lands and
OF all times who have contributed to the DEVELOPMENT
Of an ideal diplomacy based upon justice and con-
Quoted with truth and plain speaking