The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08
Tho "Cheek" of Non-R esident
Novelist.

That pretty warbler Gen SAMBo
BowLRs of Agawam and Springfield,
Mass, is tangled, out of tune and harsh
on account of tho laurels of a brother
author. 1t seems that "a serious effort
has been made since the election by so
called powerful social influences to have
Mr. FRANCIS MARION CRAWFORD made
Minister TO Turkey. Mr.. CRAWFORD
had no political influence, and the power
full social influences failed to connect.
1The result was an appalling failure. y
The excellent didactic bard rebukes the
story teller roundly;
with tho utmost respect for Mr.. cBAwPoRD-
for he HIS as much right TO live abroad as he has
TO breathe or est-ii must be said that there was
certain degree OF cheek In the candidacy which no
urged upon his friends or which, It is peassnter
to believe. his friends urged upon him. A man
who prefers Rome or Paris or London for thirty
or forty years ought not 10 expect to he selected
as bis native couu,ry's oficisl representative In
foreign paris however me and talented person
be may be-
Gen. BowLEs Is edifying. but not so
severe as he might be. Mr.. CRAw-
FoHD's cheek began more than thirty
or forty years ago. He preferred to
be born in Italy. Indeed, he may have
been guilty Of certain Check in al
lowing himself to be born at all. Ameri-
can authors should begin right. They
should come from New England Ohio
Is forgiven TO Mr., HowRLIs only because
he was shrewd or fortunate enough to
reside within the Boston Pale for time
As a literary man, Mr.. CRAWFORD had a
right to regard himself as a candidate for
diplomatic or consular honors. 1t is an
old custom and not bad one for the
State Department to export few Amer
lean authors. Thus literature is made
to purr delightedly, and thus some of the
reports 70 the State Department are sure
TO be in good English. In some distin-
guished cases, non-residence has not
been a bar to appointment in the diplo-
matte service. WASHINGTON IRVING had
been abroad some eleven years when he
became an attache of the American Leca-
ton at Madrid. 1t may be said that this
was mere nominal and honorary place,
due TO the kindness of Mr.. ALEXANDER
H. EVERETT, the American Minister to
Spain. Well, in 1929. when Mr.. IRVING
had preferred Europe to his native coun-
try for fourteen years, he was APP
pointed Secretary of Legation in London.
Mr.. MOTLEY, novelist before he took
up tho more dignified form Of fiction,
preferred Europe to the United States a
good deal OF his life, yet he held high
diplomatic posts. IRVING and notify
lived abroad for the benefit of their lit
erary work. Mr. CRAWFORD may justify
his absence from the United States by
the same reason
Mr. CRAWFORD has excellent qualih-
cations to be, Ambassador to Italy We
don't know his peculiar fitness 10 appear
before the Sublime Porte. Possibly be
knows Turkish At any rate, he knows
tobacco aad coffee ard likes Oriental
colors ana properties
II MIR CRAWFORD wanted 10 be Minis
ter to Turkey we're glad of it. 1t shows
that he must be rich, as no self-respecting
novelist should fail 20 be in this age If
he was -turned down for non-resi-
dcnce or other reasons. we cant be
sorry. 4 man who can live in Sorrento
and wants to live in constantinople'