The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-13

lowing IN the footsteps Of his eminent
father. Then be went to congress for
~eo ter.1s. Both be and Mrs. Storer
we're intimate friends of President Nc
Kinley, who appointed the Cincinnati
man minister to Belgium in 1897.
Since that time until his removal last
spring Mr.. Storer has been in the dip
lomatic service.
Several years ago Mrs. Storer achiev-
ed the brevet title of 1.-The American
ambassadress." BY that title she was
referred to at several Of the European
courts. This was due no doubt to her
interest in church affairs, and it turn
ed out to be unfortunate for the Sto-
ters. Diplomacy, as any person of only
average discernment might perceive,
must be diplomatic. There Is a diplo-
macy Of the state and a diplomacy Of
the church. When n Is accredited to
the state he is not supposed to repre-
sent the church, and vice versa.
Church and state were separated a
long time ago in this country, and it
IL not diplomatic to mix them.
The evidence in lie Roosevelt torer
case seems to have been introduced
and argued with ability by both sides.
Mr.. Roosevelt has been somewhat at
a disadvantage because his opponents
are two, and one Of them a woman.
The evidence Is largely documentary,
the arguments largely uncomplimenta-
~. The public Is Judge and jury. Ev-
eeybody is entitled to his own verdict
az to the preponderance Of evidence.
No doubt some will continue to believe
that Mr.. Roosevelt gave the StoreR
some measure Of sanction for their AZ
peals to the holy see In behalf Of the
American archbishop. On the other
hand, the majority of Americans,
Catholic and non-Catholic. are very apt
to register deep down in their con
sciousnesses the opinion that an Amer
lean diplomat becomes undiplomatiN
when he mixes church and stata
Church Versus State.
What a troublous proposition for cen
turtles was that Of church versus stated
There were wars and massacres. Rev.
buttons resulted. In both Catholic
and Protestant countries the state
church worked in~expressible woe.
After the invention Of printing and
the diffusion Of knowledge there grew
up a diversity of religious beliefs. A
small company of those who could
not worship at home according to their
belief crossed the ocean and landed
upon a "rockbound coast" Their de-
scendants founded and established the
Ar,or;oo,, ,,n,,,j1t1 Tn tho constitution
Of the republic they wrote a clause
forever interdicting any state med
ding with the church any church.
The constitution still stands, and many
Of us think it is a pretty good thing
as it stands. 1t follows quite natural
" that the president Of the United
States cannot "stand for any sucl
representations as the Storers aver that
he made to them.
Some delicious titbits Of state Sc
crets have been uncanned by this con.
troversy for the public to roll under
its tongue. This is always SO when
there is a woman in the case. Mrs.
Storer Indignantly denies an alleged
interview in which she was made to
declare that through her influence with
President Mckinley the appointment
as assistant secretary of the navy was
given to Mr.. Roosevelt, this advance
ment eventually leading to the presi
dency. Consequently we cannot look
upon Mrs. Storer as a president maker
But In one Of the Roosevelt letters tt
my Dear Maria," written early in hi'
first term, we find some highly inter
esting confessions Of the presidents
opinions Of the cabinet officers lef'
over by Mr.. Mckinley and accepted
by Mr.. Roosevelt. In European coun
tries It is the practice not to publis!
such correspondence until long ate
the death Of all the parties concerned
when It out in bulky books en-
titled memoirs of Such-and-Such
Court"
Remarkable Influence Exercised.
After all Is said and done and for
gotten about, the fact must remain tina
the able daughter Of Joseph Long
worth has exercised u remarkable In
auence over the minds Of two presi
dents Of the United States. The letter
, Of President Roosevelt to her and tn
undisputed friendly admiration Of MI
: Mckinley prove this. This revelation
10 something new In American polite
7 and Is interesting to that extent. We
. man cannot vote except In Colorad
y and Utah, but she can influence. Alon
= this topic our highly esteemed BIRTHS
q contemporary the Pail Mall Gazett
Q expresses some readable opinions
3 which an ungallant New York pape
reprints under the caption "Petticoa'
In Politics." The Gazette says that tt
T. core and kernel Of the controversy b
l. tween the president and Bellamy St
o rer, not forgetting Mrs. Storer, appear
l. to be whether Mr.. Roosevelt autho
g ICED the ambassador to do his be-
9 with the pope to obtain the red hat II
(. Archbishop Ireland. That, Of course.
10 the way 1t looks to a man up q tree
on the ground In America. But Of
z n.>, NsoO oor<ou,poropv rontinNoS.