New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-19
Hay GREATEST DIPLOM1T
Characterization bg Professor Hart
az Panama Policy Lecture.

In his lecture hefa.e the Peoples Institute. at
Cooper Union last night. oH the Principles Of Our
.lnrsma PchCy," Professor Albert Bushnell Hart.
F 81 Harvard University. declared that John Hay
was tLe dean OF aIl diplomats and the greatest
diplomat Do international law o. to-day. Re also
declared jhat thirty wears ago the Uuitei States
WAS Trying 90 do IL Colombia wAlt ID had accom-
pushed in the last three months lie said in part.
IN. an ne Panama question. as in an other ques-
.to .it secretary OF state act from sounG priuci-
much s're.siheuod a. the case ~ Pr,siden Roose-
l ~ ana Stef"itry Hay. whose whole public ca
-'t-- AaN- been marked uA trIJEfulle~- public
SPIRIT and hiEa regard for public interest. Il Is
the .leasur, OF Mr. Roosey,lts enemies 10 call
him iupul-fye" term brr15rltIsI,. rs.,If,s he
- q thsn the naiit OF WIo-- mind is 10 follow
$500 INES or 'o1N .cu 'E Mr. Roosevelt IS
Hl.sioken man and eye-y who meets him
- ." S41'i.-,, ina. tie Irinylpies which ho
ItTRlew, Actually 81 Us the Pre-Idential habit t.
con. Gsioa GA rehectior. ana to adhere from
one impulse the President has and tba. fs The
pulse Z" so has work. 10 make decisions instead
~ pa t ',S ,Lem thrust aIgn him. 20 come to
A. for Ny HAY his man fault seems 40 b. that
ne ne, is sqsCessful. that he has come TO occupy in
v1e +- ' f 81 rIgsgsraker which for two Dc ades
seeks 10 maintain peace By ending controvtr,',s
pemac- there has been but one ereiary Of state
VINO .tn BE- compared with Nh HAY Tor Judgment;
ity must decide whetfe~ Ioar o.irc. Aianls ar
"--.h tiaF has been the greater
tratOu should be condemned ~ ii ,..-asear, -
prove either bad faith bad po,ts bad law or bad
who criti0ise the President
ON the question Of bad faith the speaker said
iaat there was only thing To be said and tha.
The President had said IN his message OF Janu-
airy e. ls3i, that no one connected with this gov
eminent had any part In preparing melting or
encouraging the late revolution. No one connected
With the government had any previous knowledge
OF the revolution, except such was accessible to
any person 81 ordinary intelligence who reads the
newspapers"
AS gentleman and a man Of honor the Pres'-
dent Is entitled that this statement he taken
stands" declared the speaker. and no candid
American doubts the truth OF it
on the charge OF some critics that the President
had departed from preoedents Of foreign policy.
P-ofcssor Hart said that the fact was that
resident had simply brought 10 a elimination tn
diplomacy Of sixty years and had placed himself
in llae with the purpose OF the American people
many times expressed. Undoubtedly great
change has come over original point % view
with regard TO the isthmus canal" said tho
speaker. but that change was first expressed No,
by Mr. Hay but by William II. Seward"
Professor Hart reviewed the history Of the canal
from 1873 up the Civil War. and said that right
after the Civil War the United States adopted the
totally different policy OF exclusive American
control adding:
Since no other power came into the treaty Of
1896, the United States by force OF circumstance
took sole responsibility for the protection OF that
lH ls57 with Nicaragua began 10 assume like t.
lation TO the Nicaragua route. And this is all.
Two almost forgotten conventions prove the pur-
pose OF the United States 10 assume sole guardian
snip over the Panama route. In la5s and again ia
States OF Colombia very similar IN purport 10 The
= -y-HerraH convention Of 1913. The first was not
latihed 10y Colombia; the second Was not ratified by
the senate The policy Of sole control however.
was FOG time pat into abeyance by two inter
l national conditions