New-York tribune., 1909-09-12
cAnglo-American Memories
oaru1sA- 1903. by George " snallsy


oohaId had organized political corruption into
system Sir Wilfrid is free from any such i'm
putation as that Charges have been heard
against some Of his Ministers. never against si
v-ilSrid
Il was perhaps by accident that We began Ia
discuss the Alaska boundary. o.. perhaps not Jov
accident do not know Thinking the matter
| over afterward il semed possible enough that
I Sir Nllfrld had shaped events in his own mind
from the first He may have been glad Of an
opportunity to communicate with Washington
indirectly and unoficiaIIy. or desirous that tho
President should know what was in his mind
and learn It otherwise than via London He was
very anxious, as well he might be had lately
been in Washington, and knew nrertv v-eu the
views Of the President and Of Mr.. Hav had
made two or three visits to OTTAWA before the
Alaska conversations with Sir WIfria took
place In the interval. Mr. NcK!nley had
ceased to be President. he had beaa murdered
by foreigner with an unpronounceabIe name
ana while the murderer vas waiting in his cell
70 be executed the American women. suffragfsts
o. the militant kind. had sent him, 10 quote an
American writer flowers fellies books and
sympathy The discipline OF the prison did
not forbid these gifts NJ. Roosevelt had be
come President Nr Hay remained Secretary
o. state; perhaps with q hand less free than he
had under Nr Mckinley. who was aware that
he himself was nor master OF all subjects OF
perhaps Of anv subject not essentially Araert-
can
When the moment came Sir WiIfrid began
casually enough in & wav that would have al
lowed him 70 stop whenever ne chose But he
went on, and after Z talk a. Government House
one day ssked me 70 call on him AZ Parliament
House On the morrow
There again the talk Continued and j. was
followed by one still longer when s3r wiIfrid
came again 10 Government House next day
with papers ana maps Over these We spent
some hours There were few details II all the
complicated Alaska business which were not
familiar 10 him, and ot the whole question he
had z grasp which made details almost unina-
porta1t- His view struck ne as reasoned de-
taehsd, with a settled purpose behind II He
vas quite ready for compromise. 7 never knew
z statesman anywhere who was not with the
possible exception OF the ninety-two statesmen
Who compose the United States Senate For
myself I had 10 look two ways 7 was obliged
that IS, 70 understand both points Of view The
Canadian and the American. for was then the
representative ~ ''Ths Times In rhe United
States
When ve had gone over the whole natter I
said 70 Sir Wilfrid that I thought understood
MS opinions and the policy he desired 10 FOL
low But what was 7 10 do Not q word OF
what he had said 10 me- could have been IN
tended for print. nor can It he printed now,
even after al these years and after the settle
mtnt- BUt some object he must have had, ana
I asked him II vas ar liberty 70 draw any in
ference trom these Interviews. vas leaving
Ottawa the next day.
'Are you going 10 Washington
Yes"
shall you see the President or NJ. Hay
Both"
y ell Il you think anything you have heard
mere likely 10 interest the President or M
Hay, I don't see why you should not discuss
The matter with them as you have with me: If
they choose
Ire story of what happened az Washington I I
reserve for another letter But Sir vviltrld's
way Of dealing with the subject on this occa-
sion may perhaps stand for an example Of what /
l have called his diplomatic manner He was
not cversolicitous about precedents or formaIi- +
ties He vas quite ready 70 avail himself Of
such opportunities as chance offered him, and
q such instruments as me n his vvav His
absolute good faith was beyond question. IF
his suggestions Or rather tbs frank statement /
Of his own views and Of what he was ready TO 1
DO had proved acceptable at WASHINGTON be .
would have put them into official SHAPE and .
there would presently have been dispatch
from the Foreign Once 70 the state Depart- .
;nent and history would have been differently
written. Why this did not happen viii appear (
when The Washington end Of the story IS told
G Y