The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-31


in them and by those in administra.
tive office, but though for q time he
acted as Assistant Secretary Of State
and In n campaign edited the
Tribune. for Twenty years his pari
was that Of a locker on. All adviser
a critic. To understand the John Hay
Of this period MIR. Thayer provides the
reader with a fairly long series Of en-.
teStaining. familiar letters that Hay
wrote TO his friend Henry Adams. We
could wish that Mr.. Adams's part OF
tic correspondence were published
too. Pleasant, c%ontcntcd, busy years
marred too often by III health, a fitting
rounding or Of a useful life.
| Then with the advent Of Presiden,
Mckinley a new John Hay appears
upon the scene to take up q part that
VIII MI up the rest Of his life. 1t IL
possible that the social side OF the
post Of Ambassad . to England ap.
pealcd most to him. bu. during h.s
brief tenure Hay was able, as Mr.
Thayer shows. to impart o better un-
Outstanding Of America to the leaders
OF both parties and to learn himself
the actual condition OF affairs In
Europe. His admiration for Eng.
land his b~ioerapher jus;!Ges. while lie
perhaps exasgerates his dislike 70.
Germany. At all events. when called
to Ii Office of Secretary Of State John
Hay was fully prepared to fll It ade-
Quate.v. IT Is In this portion Of his
work. the description Of John Hay the
statesman. that Mr.. Thayer Is least
satisfactory. He is unable to ob,iterate
himself and his political sympathles
and finds II difficult to combine mug.
wump condemnation Of Republican
policy with the obligation to say moth
ing that may be derogatory 10 his hero.
Where he confines himself chiefly to
Hays " letters he does best.
In the matter of the Alaska bound
airy and the first canal treaty. about
which the wisdom OF Hays attitude
was certainly open To doubt, Mr..
Tnayer makes up for his own lack Of
faith by undue severity OH those who
criticised Mr.. Hay al the time. The
handling os affairs In China he ap-
proves wholly. He takes occasion to
quote IA remark that Is perfectly
proper in its proper connection. re.
gard!rg Gerinany's action In China:
THE success we had In stopping that
FIRST preposterous German movement
when the Who'll world seemed ,,,,e,v q,
join in IL. when the entire press Of tho
Continent and a great many m This
side were In favor 81 4, wi,, aIu,avy
b. n source ~ e~ra.is,a.,nr tx.
, moment ve acted ,hs roe, a, Oh. -.
paused. ard nnal.y coms 80 49,
ground: and Tho Gsrm,p coy.,r,,.n.
which l. generally brutal b,,, no,..r
siil-. reco, erred i,s seusss o,iw,,sa
down off IL, nerch ,,a ,-.s.,..S -.
other proposltion which u.a. oyao.,,,
In line with orr posi,ion .ra f~rr,,..
in a similar confidential ,s,,ar >. 49,
intimate friend uay s.v.. .u.,.n .i,.
Aue.o.German nae, am. out 81 n
day or two to And ou, u,,,., &. ,,oar.
soon learned from, ps-,i, ,,,, A.,
meant n ho--ih,a nr.c,... ;o,.. -.
England. From London 7 fo,,rd 49,,
wha, had susnsc,o1 h,,, -, =.
as;ounded mo. after ali ., IN. ,ssnr.a
of-fhof then din mn, ,.,ou., corn,,n,.
proposed II. they san. ro 49,, IT, =.
and signed. VIE, I.nar tIr. 49,"
p2Ct asked -.>s.n u-h.. Tkn, .~.3
We dom, ln,u. n,,,. =, 80 NN
fun aoinu nm ~. nav, ;, -. -. nay
such eynre ssion. y, IL, ..-
time TO tim. onnorer.,,. or. .,,a 80.
of the extraordinary cban,.r ~, 49,.
German menace I'm u,hich ,ho .,,,r-.
works himself I'm over csr,nonv..
preparations for m. n,.,a,, ,,.ar 49,,
implies tina; Mr.. Hav ,houyb, 40 ~.
does. Mr.. Tbaycr ara. +, 49, =.
swallow TN. Penrb,;c ~ par,n,a on,
the means Ly which 4, earn, int az
istcncr bu. his admiration rnr Ar
Roosevelt helms him I, , .n.nia,
hapter he shows how. ~cor,,,,; Wv. -a
la,ions between AIR IJ,v ava Az
Roosevelt ware D.,i.h,r,, ava To-,
as HAYS c,pm.nta an mcn ora SO
ur.s are fl th.s. diaries and ,.,.ar. -
intimate friends wa ,lo,,h, /, tho
reader can derive from ,he L:o.r,,h,.
a real unJ.rstardinp M tho s.rrios
h, rendered his coup,r,. Ills .,,n,.
mary Of his ou.n ITO ,ho,,,, o,.r-
r,odes, is characterised an, ai,... ,l,.
same impression hat ,bis h;n.ronh,.
does. "i reaI,v belieye tb., in al,
history I meyer r.,J NJ , man u.hn
has had so much ami such carried
,L,,,,,. - =. 49,.