The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-13
Famous American Diplomat Is
Coming to Richmond and
Local People Are interested
In His Career.
w. E. CURTIS TELLS
ABOUT INDIANA MAN
History Reads Like Fiction as
He Has Seen Many History
Making Events Throughout
The World.

William +. Curtis. correspondent for
the Chicago Record Herald and tho
Washington Star. has an interesting
account of the memoirs recently writ
ten by the Hon. John w. Foster.
which are of special interest as Mr..
Foster is probably the most dist;n-
suished and polished diplomat ever
serving in the interest of the United
States. Mr.. Curtis's article is especial
ly interesting to local readers because
Mr.. Foster is to speak at the coliseum
December l. under the auspices Of the
Commercial club. on the subject In
ternational Peace" The Curtis article
is in part as follows:
A True Cosmopolitan.
Gen. John w. Foster has done
what all public men should do. He
has written his memoirs and they will
be published within few days. Hs
has given the country and the world
the benefit OF his unusual experience
and great deal of the vast fund OF
knowledge he has acquired in a long
and useful life. This ia especially val
liable for ambitious young men, for
students of public affairs, as well as
entertaining to the ordinary reader.
Men who have seen and done things;
men who have been honored with po-
sitions high in the public service are
under obligations. 1t seems to me. to
render an account OF the way they
have conducted themselves in addition
to whatever official and formal re-
ports may be required Of them: and
there are yet several conspicuous
statesmen, soldiers. members CT the
senate and former members of our
diplomatic corps who have not yet
performed this duty Andrew d.
White has recently given two volumes
OF his experiences that are full of in
terest and now Gen. Foster gives us
his contribution to history. which is
equally interesting and valuable.
Diplomatic Services Described.
He has confined himself almost
entirely to his diplomatic service,
which has been longer and more i'm
portant than that OF any Of his con-
temporaries and perhaps than that of
any man who ever served the Ameri-
can government in such a capacity.
He might have added several chap
ters about his service in the civil war,
but scarcely alludes to that part of his
life. He tells briefly OF his early days
and Of his grandparents. who mado
their way into southern Indiana. and
there. in a log cabin built with their
own hands. raised farm produce which
they floated down the Wabash and
Mississippi rivers to New Orleans for
sale, just as Abraham Lincoln did.
Gen. Foster graduated from the
University Of Indiana in 1855 at the
age OF nineteen. attended Harvard
law school for one year. studied anoth-
er year in a law office In Cincinnati.
and at the age OF twenty-one began
practice at Evansville. Ind. He was
an abolitionist, and took an active
part in politics before he became OF
age. When the war broke out he en-
listed for three years in the Union
army and without solicitation receiv-
ed a commission as major from Gov
Morton. He saw three and half
y
three different Indiana regiments and
was mustered out as brigadier gener-
al at the head Of a division of caval-
ry.
Il am a strong advocate for the es-
tablishment of a regular career for
the diplomatic service Of the United
States" Mr.. Foster says in the first
chapter Of his book. Il would have
all secretaries OF legations enter the
service through a competitive examin-
alton. continue In office during good
behavior and as they should prove
worthy have them promoted to min
listers. But ! doubt whether the time
will ever come when our government
will think it wise to confIne the ap-
pointment of ministers and ambassa-
doris entirely to promotion from the
post of secretary. 1t has never been
SO in the governments OF Europe.
where regular diplomatic career has
long been an established system.
Many of their most distinguished dip
lomats have been those who have
never entered the service through =
competitive examination, but Who
were appointed from other branches
Of the public service or from private
life"
The Accession of Ojaz.
Gen. Foster gives = bird's.eye view
of the history Of Mexico for the next
eighteen years. which IL perhaps the
most important period in the life q
our neighboring republic President
(Contiuued on P,ee FourA