UNITED STATES AMBASSADORSHIP

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 198, 25 September 1909, Page 4

UNITED STATES AMBASSADORSHIP

The United States are finding much difficulty in getting a man to succeed Mr. Whitelaw Keid as Ambassador to England. People generally on both sides of the Atlantic doubtless wonder at this. Not so many years ago the post was a coveted one, was eagerly sought, and was often made the reward given to the most prominent statesman of the politics of the party in power. It was (as indeed it is now) the first diplomatic position in the gift of the President, second only to a Cabinet appointment, and even better than a scat on the Supreme Court bench. Looking back, even past the days of George M. Dallas, it. will be found that the office of United States Minister, as it was f.i|] a few years ago, was filled by some of the most prominent and eminent Amerj. ■:iiis of the day. In short, to be sent l» the Court of St. James' was an honor which no fan in his senses would dream of declining. Theneforo, it seems incomprehensible that so exalted an office should go a-begging. THE REASON WHY. The fact of the matter is that the Ambassadorship has grown to he an office which only the richest men can afford to accept. Unfortunately, political statesmen are, as a rule, not possessed of Large means. Many of tlic Ministers in our own recollection who have filled the office, say. twenty years ago, would not have dreamt of'accepting it to-day. At first the post was of a purely official character, an d for many years it was so carried on. The salary of £3500 a pear was more than ample to provide for all the Minister was called upon to do, and with some of the representatives it left a nice little margin to lay by and carry back home He practically did no entertaining. None seemed to be. expected of him. Indeed, Americans of social position in their own country when in England have often been heard to bemoan the humble and obscure position in society which their representative filled in 'London. This is well known to people with memories. I

_Now it is just the oilier way about. j Ever since the post was made, about ten years ago, into an Ambassadorship, it has gradually grown into one of the factors of gay entertaining in the London season, and its incumbents have necessarily been rich men. The climax was reached when Mr. Whitelaw Reid was appointed to succeed Mr. Choate in the Ambassadorship.—M.A.P.