THE TRAINING OF AMERICAN STATESMEN.
[TO THE EDITOR OP TUE "SPECTATOR']
Sin,--Your recent appreciation of Mr. Hay has been well received on this side of the Atlantic, being reprinted in full or in part by many newspapers, and also calling forth editorial comment. The Boston Transcript endorsed all you said, and added that more young men would be eager for political training like Mr. Hay's when security of tenure and assurance of promotion are made inseparable elements of a public career. In this connection I should like permission to point out a few instances tending to show that the political training process you have in mind is not entirely overlooked by American statesmen. More and more are young men of ability and means spending a few years in the learning of practical politics. Few of them remain permanently in public life, but if they return to it in later years their early training will be of the greatest benefit. Diplomatic service abroad has from the beginning of the Republic attracted some of our best-known young men. An example fresh in our minds is Adelbert Hay, whose untimely death is remembered by all. He served as Consul to the late South African Republic during the trying period of the Boer War. His role was not an easy one, but by tact and ability he endeared himself alike to Boer and Briton. On com- pleting his term of service he returned to Washington, and had not fate ordered otherwise, would have entered the President's office, thus following the footsteps of his honoured father. A year or more ago, William Corcoran Eustis found time to go to London as Secretary of our Embassy. Chandler Hale is now attached to the American Embassy in _Vienna. With General Horace Porter in Paris is Peter Augustus Jay. Charles Richardson and Reynolds Hitt are Secretaries to the Berlin Mission. C. W. Wads- worth is with Mr. Choate in London. Montgomery Schuyler, jun., is Secretary at the St. Petersburg Embassy. Next in point of interest to a foreign Mission may be counted service in Washington. At the close of the Spanish War Joseph Benson Foraker, jun., resigned his captaincy of Volunteers to act as secretary of his father's Senate Committee. George Cabot Lodge has for years been trained by the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts. It might not be hazardous to predict a brilliant public career for both of these young men in the field of statecraft or diplomacy. Charles Phelps has served a long apprenticeship under Senator Platt of Con- necticut. Both Senators Jones and Vest have brought up their sons in the school of practical politics. . Of Cabinet Ministers who have seized the opportunity to let their sons see something at their sides of public life former Secretary Car- lisle is an example. The present Administration has a con- tinuation of that policy in the person of Secretary Wilson, whose son is his right-hand man. In conclusion, may I touch upon a personal experience illustrating the ad- vantages this kind of a schooling gives to a young man, in this case showing the opportunity to acquire a practical knowledge of the formulating of laws and to see public men grouped as under no other conditions? A few years ago the writer served as assistant-secretary to the Senate Com- mittee charged with preparing a Code of civil laws for Alaska. First of all, a digest of important existing Codes was made, and an outline drawn of the proposed Bill. Sections of this were then allotted to each member of the Committee, who reported the result of his labour to the Chairman. Various individuals, officials, and delegations from Alaska were also heard. From this there grew at length the Code, a volume of several hundred pages. When the Committee assembled for its final meeting, the onlooker saw a picture long to be remembered. Senator Carter, a famous raconteur, soberly related his funniest stories ; Chairman Shoup, a Colonel of Indian wars and former Governor of Idaho, opened a fresh box of fragrant Havanas ; Messrs. Sewall and Bate, who in 1865 were commanding Union and Confederate divisions, talked amicably a old days ; Judge Ross, who once under- took to explain to Senator Bate the mysteries of the sub- junctive, listened politely to Mr. Beveridge's enthusiastic account of the Orient; Senator Clark, the "Copper King," dapper and smiling, exchanged a pleasant word with Mr. Kyle, who began life as a Congregational minister. Suddenly the hum of conversation ceased, as the Chairman rose. He announced impressively that the Bill was completed, and would be reported to the Senate for action, thanking the members for their industry, and dwelling upon the conciliatory spirit Democratic Senators had shown towards the majority. With a cheer the assembly broke up, destined never to meet again.
[We had not, of course, forgotten Mr. Adelbert Hay, or the services he had rendered to his country, and were aware of several of the examples given by our correspondent in his most interesting letter. What we wished, however, to em- phasise was the need of systematising the plan of giving young men of position and influence early in life a view of great affairs at first hand, and of making them potential servants of the State.—En. Spectator.]
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