The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-12

mNHiNAVs INV AMNAAk vi VIZ uVN MNIWOINnE
TO impair greatly his usefulness a. q mem
Der OF the Senate, but In his ~biographer's
opinion II should have been regarded In a
man OF 70 a. a ~lnsuperable objection TO his
being called 70 the discharge Of delicate
and intricate diplomatic duties at a time
when a foreign war was possible and difioult
questions Of international intercourse we're
sure to be mooted. Mr.. Kerr says that
sherman could not see himself as others
had opportunity TO see him. He was not
conscious Of any diminution in his mental
powers-no doubt he felt as capable az be
had felt In som years-and when the call
Ito become Secretary Of STATED was made
upon him, ii was put In such a form that
he could not well decline He assumed
charge Of the State Department on March 4,
1907. Early In the following May President
Mckinley YER. TO the Senate the appoint
ment Of William r. Day Of Ohio as Assistant
Secretary Of State. At the time Of his
appointment Mr.. Day was a country lawyer
who had never participated actively in
politics and had no experience In public
affairs.
It will be remembered that on April rs.
1903, Sherman handed a brief and formal
letter to President Mckinley resigning the
ONCE OF Secretary Of State. The resigna-
ton was accepted and W. R, Day, the
Assistant Secretary, was appointed In his
stead. The biographer explains that for
some time before Sherman resigned his
position in the Cabinet had been extremely
embarrassing and unpleasant, Under
favorable circumstances he might have
discharged the duties Of Secretary Of State
with a tact and an ability which would
have cast no reflection on his reputation
as a statesman. Such favorable circum.
stances, however, we're denied him, The
President, feeling misgiving as to Sher-
mans ability to deal with the grave ques-
tions which were frequently arisin g out
Of the war in Cuba, undertook. with as
much delicacy as the situation permitted,
TO delegate to Judge Day the chief dip
lomatic functions that by right and custom
belonged 10 the head OF the State Depart
ment. Mr.. Kerr thinks that Sherman would
have been shielded from intense bumilia-
ton had he been left TO serve the country
in the Senate TO the end Of his life, In which
position, whether or no his intellectual
powers should have waned, he could have
ended his career Ike the going down Of the
sun. Ultimately Judge Day was brought
into the Cabinet meetings 10 impart in
formation with respect TO our relations
with Spain, This unprecedented course
on the part Of the President reduced the
Office Of Secretary Of State TO a mere title
and stripped II Of all dignity. Under the
circumstances there vas nothing for Sher-
man to do but TO retire 20 private life.
When John Sherman left the State De-
partment and Herewith all public life no
had been In the service OF his country mora
than forty-two years and four months, a
length OF service exceeded by only one
man, Justin s. Morrill, OF Vermont. He
died on October %, 1900. Mr.. Kerr Is alive
to the fact that the fraction Of Sherman's
life between his resignation as Secretary Of
State and bis death Is extremely difficult to
portray. II exact justice Is TO be- done to all
concerned. The b%iographer ayers that
Sherman never uttered concerning Presi-
dent Mckinley or Senator Hanna a dis
respectful word which he knew would be
pdbllbliChs aNONNlN LlSlooof ~ NaAAoh llVNlE
in newspaper interviews, and nobody had
the temerity 10 suggest to him that his
opinions were being used TO iniure the
Republican party, or that IL wa In bad
taste to c~riticise a policy Of an Administra-
ton whereof he had been a part. The news
opposed to the Spanish war or to
the imperial programme Of the Mckinley
Administration naturally sought 10 make
the most Of Sherman's undisglised disap-
proval Of the intervention in Cuba and Of
the annexation OF transmarine territory,
and their activity in this direction naturally
forced the Republican journals TO counteract
the influence Of the interviews as best they
Some OF the Republican newspapers
said that Sherman was senile and no longer
responsible for his words. and that con-
.sequently no weight should be attached
10 them. Others said that he was bitter
and angry, and that his opinions we're
and distorted by his feelings. The
assures us that these imputa-
ions did Sherman a great wrong. "He
vas neither senile nor was his judgment
by his feelings. II he had remained
10 the Cabinet or Senate he would have been
rs firmly opposed 10 the policy Of expansion
as he was when out Of office" NJ. W. H.