FROM JOURNALIST TO AMBASSADOR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 101, 18 April 1908, Page 3

FROM JOURNALIST TO AMBASSADOR

Mr Whitelaw IJeid, the American Anibaxstdor. who has been on leave of ab* &eiier in the Slates, returned to England recently. K**w men have had a more strenuous earner than he. for lie has been a .laek-of-all-tradv>, and a master of every one. Mr. Ueid was born at Xenia. Ohio, in \WJ, his parents being pioneer- from Kentucky and of Scottish Covenanter origin. Even a boy lie wih determined to become a scholar, and afler graduating at Miami University. hj- oMimd ,« position on a newspaper. and eventu.ill\ ro-e tu be editor and proprietor of the New York Tribune. Before he was appointed Amba.--'-iiiloi to England in PHI."). J\lr. Keid had been ihc Limed State- Ambassador to 1 Fr.tliec.

11l lSt>7 Mr Keid visited London as the American representatives at the Jubilee of the late yueen Victoria, and in the well-known picture representing the hist<»ris ncetie outside St. I'auPs Cathedral on Dial occasion her Majesty gave ortiers that Mr. Kcid'« portrait should be painted in a -pecialy prominent position. During this period au amusing controversy arose iu the Slates concerning Mr lb-id's elaborate Court costume. For

-ome reason or other. it Mas thought to Ik* out of place tor the representative ot a democratic nation to appear in such a dress; and the agitation.oven went so far a> to become the subject of a discus--ion in the American House of Representative-*.

I M;iny years ago. when Mr. lleid wa- s a : war correspondent- for the Cineinntti Kazette, with General l'osencraiis's army in West Virginia, he created a great sensation by writing an article in which lie severely critici-ed the enemy ami expressed surprise that they had not sullicient acumen to cut Kosenorans's telegraph wires. The general was amazed to read this article, and sent for Whitelaw Keid. to whom he administered :> -oinid lecture. "I have not decided what to do with out." he said: "but I'M *'•' you in the morning. <iood night.'' When the morning came. however, the wily war correspondent was nowhere to lie »<m'U. for he had left camp many hours earlier on the fastest liorsp he •ouhl obtain. It is said, by the way. that Mr. Ueid was the 111-t war correspondent to telegraph an account of a battle during the actual progre-s of the lighting. I