Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-04
CAPITAL CHAT.
CONTINUED from Page One

those who have business with him, Mr..
Tower has made a good ambassador,
has shown business ability in hand
ling affairs entrusted to him, and
got on swimmingly" as the saying
goes, at Berlin.
Emperor William liked Mr.. Tower
immensely, as he did Mrs Tower
Both became social favorites at the
German Court and eventually the En-
peror and Empress We're dinner guests
at the Embassy, an unusual honor to
show American representatives.
But Ambassador and Mrs. Tower are
clever in bringing things about as
a rule and they did not relish the way
President Roosevelt secured the for
mers resignation. Many 4Ambas-
| sailors abroad write informal let
| tiers to the President. This CORE
| spondence is at times quite vOluminous.
! Mr.. Tower wrote a querulouS personal
| letter one day to the President, re-
| marking how he would be glad when
| he was able to return to the United
States. The President took that as a
resignation, 50 informed the Amoassa-
dor and designated his successor Then
| the Ambassador began to show the US
ual reluctance about giving up his
| job. Generally Presidents are very
| easy about hurrying an ambassador
| out of his place. The diplomats know
| that Ambassador Choate at London
and Ambassador Horace Porter at
| Paris were extremely reluctant to give
up their posts and President Foose-
| velts patience was much tried before
they finally gave way for his own APP
| pOintees.
| Ambassador Tower did not intend to
| give way till next August, but in the
meantime certain people here in Wash
ington knew that remarkable things
were being done, at least with Ambas-
| sador Towers knowledge, to prevent
| DR.. Hill from being accepted.
| These activities have had their cause
chiefly in the fact that some official
people in Washington did not like the
Hills Mrs. Hill is a highly cultivated
| woman She speaks a number of Ian
guages and gave unique entertain
| ments as soon as she and her husband
came down from Rochester, n. y, that
| he might become assistant secretary
of state She is quite musician and
| inaugurated the modern practice,
which has become quite general here
|
musicales. She had the great singers
! and performers of the day at her res
| idence. AS Secretary of State Hay was
| i'll much of the time, DR.. and Mrs. Hill
| had unusual opportunities for enter
| tanning diplomats and distinguished
| foreign visitors.
| Many ladies in official circles did not
| like the prominence that Mrs. Hill at,
| tanned in this respect. She is not given
| to magnificent raiment as many of her
| sisters are. She wears homemade
| clothes a great deal. And SO it became
| quite the thing among certain
| coterie of un-Christian ladies in Wash
| lngton to make fun of Mrs. HILL She
and her husband are both literary and
while there are many literary people
in Washington, some who shine in
high social places are more intent up
| on gaiety and magnificence than upon
culture and intellectual attainments.
Of course the Towers knew all about
this for the diplomatic society of ev
cry European capital finds out sooner
or later all the gossip of the diplo-
matte set in Washington, and some
body proceeded to make the most of
it with Emperor William. He is fond
of the ultra rich Americans, who be-
long to the better class and was al
lowed to gain the impression that the
Hills were not quite the kind of peo-
pie he liked to associate with. At the
same time efforts were on foot to
bring Ambassador and Mrs. Griscom
at Rome to his notice, as Mr.. Griscom, !
young and ambitious. and also ex-
ceedingly rich, would dearly like the
promotion to the more important post
at Berlin Mr.. Griscom is a Philadel- |
phan, sprung from a rich family OF
ship owners and builders who have
been very loyal to the Republican par
ty in the years gone by. He has shown
adaptabilty for the duties of a diplo-
mat and has had very rapid advance
ment. A former big official in the state
department pointed out, when the
trouble with Dr. Hill was hardly
day old, that there was an organized
effort to get Mr.. Griscom into the place
and his assertion was fully borne out.
President Roosevelt promises to nip
the whole arrangement and in addi-
ton to teach rich diplomats abroad,
however capable they may be, a
wholesome lesson. The affair will prob
ably result In the termination OF Am
hassador Towers service at an early
day and Ambassador Griscom will
probably be given a scare that he will
not easily forget. While Emperor Will
liam was highly pleased, according to
confidential reports here, with the
Griscoms as rich and elegant Ameri-
cans, who would adorn the social set
at Berlin, it will probably be a long
while before they get a promotion to
a more desirable post than that at
Rome.
It has long been urged that arrange
ments be made whereby some others
than rich Americans be sent to repre-
sent the United States at European
capitals. One step toward this would
be the purchase of embassies at Lon
don, Paris, Berlin, Rome and st. Pc
tersburg for the residences of our am
bassadors. That would eliminate q
large item of expense and bring the
offices nearer within reach of persons
of moderate means. The salary of
ST.. 500 a year for an ambassador may