The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-10-20
"sHIRT SLEEVE" OEPL0M-
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S'ssee'''g 'Hethoos IN use 6e1ore sFe
Tune OF John H'ay.
From the Kansas CITY Star.
American indifference to European
opinion of our national affairs and pub
lie men is fortunately a thing of the
past. 1t is with considerable interest
and qualification thai we read the fa-
vorable comments of the European
press upon our late secretary of state
and his diplomatic career. The Out
look, of London, says that although
American diplomacy has been singular
ly successful it was not until the time
of John Hay that it has won the admir-
alton of the world; that it lacked ele-
walton, fneness and the inspiration of
high sentiment. The shirt-sleeve
manners of American diplomacv." con-
tinues the Outlook, 'seven as late as
1897, We're the amusement and amaze
ment of Europe. /. y 81 1t was the
first and not he least of Mr. Hays serv-
Gees to his country that American di-
plomacy under his guidance recovered
or became imbued with an almost Eu-
ropean sense of the prophecies"
notwithstanding the new tone and
character which John Hay gave to our
IleSOlldl1OIlS Wlll OJlG1 bowers Ill WAS
only fifty years ago that our diplomacy
was the laughing stock of Europe. The
London Times ridiculed American ,di-
plomacy as q VERY singular profess
SION and not without cause. The
United States was then. i'm 1851. in the
most aggressive, expansive stage of her
existence. Webster. CLAW. Calhoun and
other old statesmen had RECENTLY died.
leaving iineoistic Young America hold
ing the reins of government with a
loose, Impractical hand. The spirit of
and nlibusterisn stalked
lily burdened with domestic troubles.
Our manifest destiny pointed to the
ACQUISITION of Cuba and the desire 10
obtain it led, eventually, to the promul-
cation of that most glazing example
OF shirtsleeye plonacy-th Ostend
manifesto.
We wanted Cuba and Pierre Soule. as
he was thought to be the man most
likely to secure it, was appointed by
Pierce as minister to Spain. 1t was an
unhappy selection. Soule was a thor
oughbred man of the world. an accom-
plished and patriotic gentleman, a
perfect bird charmer," but being a
Frenchman of humble birth. who had
been banished from his native country
on account of his rigid democracy and
rabid nolitical min
ciples. he was persona non grata 10 h
Spanish grandess and also to The
French and English who had no SWIM
pathy with our flibustering attitude
toward Spain and Cuba. Donn Piatt
who was then s]ecretary of tho An,ari,
can legation at Paris. has said That
Soule,s APPOINTMENT was the absurd
est proposition ever submitted to a civ
ilized nation" Tt NAV he said how
ever. that he was cordially received NV
the queen and that his relations to the
court were friendly and amiable. also
-
a considerable number of the members
of the Spanish legislature that thew
called upon him at his home AT an
hours of the night. He was unite CON
fident, at one time. of securing Cuba
and felt sure that if he had S5OO OOO of
secret service money to lend" to mem
bers of the cortes upon their own an
plication" he could make Cuba a part
of the United States, But thanks to the
opposition of France and Spain. and
of the Spanish press, and to the en-
nifty between our minister and the
Spanish secretary of state. So11le's
schemes for the peaceful acquisition
of Cuba had gone away when the
BLACK Warrior affair." furnished him
an excuse for trying to drag Spain INTO
a war n to give the United States a
chance to take the island by force.
The Black Warrior was an American
merchant steamer plying between Mobile
and New York and stopping at Havana
for passengers and mail. She was not al
lowed to carry freight to Havana. She
had made several trips and had been al
lowed by the Cuban authorities, contrary
to the regulations of Cuban ports, to clear
the port of Havana without making a de-
tailed manifest of her cargo. But in Feb
ruary, 1854, she was seized by order of the
royal exchequer for violation of the reg
ulations of the port, her cargo of cotton,
worth 100000, was confiscated and her
captain was fined $4,000. The vessel was
abandoned to the Spanish authorities. The
event caused considerable excitement in
Washington. The president urged con-
gress to give him authority and means,