Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-10
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence.
Washington, July 10.-Because Henry
Lane Wilson, American ambassador to
Mexico. did not jump to his feet and
stand at attention the other night at
banquet In the Mexican capital when
the band played the Star Spangled
Banner another shining diplomatic ca
reer may come to sudden and untime-
ly termination. AT least, it is widely
reported that American residents In
Mexico are mad all over about the in
cident The state department. Of
course, refuses to admit that it takes
the matter very seriously but it is un-
hesitattnsly said by men most con-
versant with what is expected Of an
American diplomat that it Is the busl-
ness OF such a parsonage to arise on
such an occa sion and be the fugieman
for the crowd when the national an
them is played.
Might Have Been Different.
Mr.. Wilson is entitled, however. TO
considerable measure of credit for the
way in which he has handled things in
Mexico. If it had not been that he
forget himself when the Star Spangled
Banner was played. he might have gone
down in history with the reputation OF
being one of the strong men OF our
diplomatic galaxy. The stars in the
aforesaid galaxy are not numerous
And whatever there may be to crid-
else about Henry Lane, it is undouot-
eddy true that in his service thru the
recent troubled period in Mexico he mad
10 confront a situation the most diff
cult OF any that has presented itself TO
= %t< h,V =
troubles IN China when Major E. H.
Conger was Americas representative in
the celestial kingdom. If one makes
inquiry about Ambassador Wilson's Of
acial record, the state department holds
this broad fact up to his credit and
says he has made a good record.
Diplomacy in Disfavor.
OF course, it has TO be remembered
that in these latter days the notion
that because a man is sent abroad as
minister or ambassador of this coun-
try he must be a fine diplomat is
simon-pure nonsense. A diplomat has
become a good deal OF sublimated
messenger boy who is permitted to
spend his money in the effort to con-
vince folks at the capital where ne Is
sent that he is man OF consequence
What usually happens is that the state
department concludes it wants some
thing presented to another government.
1t cables the minister or ambassador
what to do and say. He does it and
says 1t. In a few days, thru him as
medium, the foreign government trans
mits its reply. This isn't the sort OF
diplomacy that prevailed in the days
of the fathers before one, Mr.. Field,
made a success of the cable business.
The result is that almost any patriotic
citizen of tact and brains makes
fairly good diplomat.
Henry Lane Wilson comes from out
along the Wabash. That was where
Uncle Joe Cannon was born and it has
produced some good men. Wilson was
born at Crawfordsville, Ind, in 1857
and graduated in 1879 from Wabash
College. Then ne went into newspa-
pering He edited the Lafayette Jour
nal from 1882 to 1895 He went into
law and banking and moved TO Spo-
kane, Wash, where he still lives. In
cidentally, he became wealthy.
An Appointee Of Mckinley.
President Mckinley along in 1897
wanted to do something for Wilson but
1t was not this particular Wilson. 1t
was his brother, John L.. who runs the
Seattle PostInteiligencer and Is one OF
the biggest men in the far northwest.
Mckinley, SO runs the gossip here.
prosfered John L. a diplomatic job.
Il don't want it," said John L. IN
effect but there is my brother, Henry
Lane"
The upshot was the appointment OF
Henry Lane as minister to Chile.
Later, Roosevelt sent him to Belgium.
In that time. he was delegate for this
country to various important confer
ences in Belgium He was sent to Mex
ice in 1909, and got there just in time
to find the opposition to Diaz tearing
up the country. From that time to
this, he has had no easy Job OF 1t and
in the main, except when the band
played the Star Spangled Banner, he
has escaped without making any seri-
Gus mistakes. He is genial, affable
and a likable man personally and has
many friends in Washington. Rumors of
his retirement have floated about here
pretty regularly and it is not expected
he will remain for any great length Of
time in the service He was in Wash
tngton several months ago and gave
the president valuable inform alton
about conditions in Mexico.
BURGLARY NJ kensett