theodore roosevelt-第30章
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； John Hay； he had a remarkable helper。 Henry Adams told me that Hay was the first 〃man of the world〃 who had ever been Secretary of State。 While this may be disputed； nobody can fail to see some truth in Adams's assertion。 Hay had not only the manners of a gentleman； but also the special carriage of a diplomat。 He was polite； affable； and usually accessible； without ever losing his innate dignity。 An indefinable reserve warded off those who would either presume or indulge in undue familiarity His quick wits kept him always on his guard。 His main defect was his unwillingness to regard the Senate as having a right to pass judgment on his treaties。 And instead of being compliant and compromising； he injured his cause with the Senators by letting them see too plainly that he regarded them as interlopers； and by peppering them with witty but not agreeable sarcasm。 In dealing with foreign diplomats； on the other hand； he was at his best。 They found him polished； straightforward； and urbane。 He not only produced on them the impression of honesty； but he was honest。 In all his diplomatic correspondence； whether he was writing confidentially to American representatives or was addressing official notes to foreign governments； I do not recall a single hint of double…dealing。 Hay was the velvet glove； Roosevelt the hand of steel。
For many years Canada and the United States had enjoyed grievances towards each other； grievances over fisheries； over lumber； and other things； no one of which was worth going to war for。 The discovery of gold in the Klondike； and the rush thither of thousands of fortune…seekers； revived the old question of the Alaskan Boundary； for it mattered a great deal whether some of the gold…fields were Alaskanthat is； American…or Canadian。 Accordingly； a joint High Commission was appointed towards the end of McKinley's first administration to consider the claims and complaints of the two countries。 The Canadians； however； instead of settling each point on its own merits； persisted in bringing in a list of twelve grievances which varied greatly in importance； and this method favored trading one claim against another。 The result was that the Commission； failing to agree； disbanded。 Nevertheless； the irritation continued； and Roosevelt； having become President； and being a person who was constitutionally opposed to shilly…shally； suggested to the State Department that a new Commission be appointed under conditions which would make a decision certain。 He even went farther； he took precautions to assure a verdict in favor of the United States。 He appointed three CommissionersSenators Lodge； Root； and Turner； the Canadians appointed two； Sir A。 L。 Jette and A。 B。 Aylesworth； the English representative was Alverstone； the Lord Chief Justice。
The President gave to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes； of the Supreme Court； who was going abroad for the summer； a letter which he was 〃indiscreetly〃 to show Mr。 Chamberlain； Mr。 Balfour； and two or three other prominent Englishmen。 In this letter he wrote：
'The claims of the Canadians for access to deep water along any part of the Alaskan Coast is just exactly as indefensible as if they should now suddenly claim the Island of Nantucket 。。。。
'I believe that no three men ＇the President said＇ in the United States could be found who would be more anxious than our own delegates to do justice to the British claim on all points where there is even a color of right on the British side。 But the objection raised by certain Canadian authorities to Lodge； Root； and Turner； and especially to Lodge and Root； was that they had committed themselves on the general proposition。 No man in public life in any position of prominence could have possibly avoided committing himself on the proposition； any more than Mr。 Chamberlain could avoid committing himself on the question of the ownership of the Orkneys if some Scandinavian country suddenly claimed them。 If this claim embodied other points as to which there was legitimate doubt； I believe Mr。 Chamberlain would act fairly and squarely in deciding the matter； but if he appointed a commission to settle up all these questions； I certainly should not expect him to appoint three men； if he could find them； who believed that as to the Orkneys the question was an open one。
'I wish to make one last effort to bring about an agreement through the Commission ＇he said in closing＇ which will enable the people of both countries to say that the result represents the feeling of the representatives of both countries。 But if there is a disagreement； I wish it distinctly understood； not only that there will be no arbitration of the matter； but that in my message to Congress I shall take a position which will prevent any possibility of arbitration hereafter； a position 。 。 。 which will render it necessary for Congress to give me the authority to run the line as we claim it； by our own people； without any further regard to the attitude of England and Canada。 If I paid attention to mere abstract rights； that is the position I ought to take anyhow。 I have not taken it because I wish to exhaust every effort to have the affair settled peacefully and with due regard to England's honor。'*
* W。 R。 Thayer： John Hay； II； 209； 210。
In due time the Commission gave a decision in favor of the American contention。 Lord Alverstone； who voted with the Americans； was suspected of having been chosen by the British Government because they knew his opinion； but I do not believe that this was true。 A man of his honor； sitting in such a tribunal； would not have voted according to instructions from anybody。
Roosevelt's brusque way of bringing the Alaska Boundary Question to a quick decision； may be criticised as not being judicial。 He took the short cut； just as he did years before in securing a witness against the New York saloon…keepers who destroyed the lives of thousands of boys and girls by making them drunkards。 Strictly； of course； if the boundary dispute was to be submitted to a commission； he ought to have allowed the other party to appoint its own commissioners without any suggestion from him。 But as the case had dragged on interminably； and he believed； and the world believed； and the Canadians themselves knew； that they intended to filibuster and postpone as long as possible； he took the common…sense way to a settlement。 If he had resolved； as he had； to draw the boundary line 〃on his own hook；〃 in case there was further pettifogging he committed no impropriety in warning the British statesmen of his purpose。 In judging these Rooseveltian short cuts； the reader must decide whether they were justified by the good which they achieved。
Of even greater importance was the understanding reached； under Roosevelt's direction； with the British Government in regard to the construction of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama。 By the Clayton…Bulwer Treaty of 1850； the United States and Great Britain agreed to maintain free and uninterrupted passage across the Isthmus； and； further； that neither country should 〃obtain or maintain to itself any control over the said ship…canal；〃 or 〃assume or exercise any dominion 。 。 。 over any part of Central America。〃 The ship canal talked about as a probability in 1850 had become a necessity by 1900。 During the Spanish…American War； the American battleship Oregon had been obliged。 to make the voyage round Cape Horn； from San Francisco to Cuba； and this served to impress on the people of the United States the really acute need of a canal across the Isthmus； so that in time of war with a powerful enemy； our Atlantic fleet and our Pacific fleet might quickly pass from one coast to another。 It would obviously be impossible for us to play the role of a World Power unless we had this short line of communication。 But the conditions of peace； not less than the emergencies of war； called for a canal。 International commerce； as well as our own； required the saving of thousands of miles of distance。
About 1880； the French under Count De Lesseps undertook to construct a canal from Panama to Aspinwall； but after half a dozen years the French company suspended work； partly for financial reasons； and partly on account of the enormous loss of life among the di
