Of course it was. Britain had practically told us she wished the canal
built and would act in any way desired. The canal is now as it should
be--that is, all American, with no international complications
possible. It was perhaps not worth building at that time, but it was
better to spend three or four hundred millions upon it than in
building sea monsters of destruction to fight imaginary foes. One may
be a loss and there an end; the other might be a source of war, for
"Oft the sight of means to do ill deeds
Make deeds ill done."
Mr. Hay's _bete noire_ was the Senate. Upon this, and this only, was
he disregardful of the proprieties. When it presumed to alter one
word, substituting "treaty" for "agreement," which occurred in one
place only in the proposed Arbitration Treaty of 1905, he became
unduly excited. I believe this was owing in great degree to poor
health, for it was clear by that time to intimate friends that his
health was seriously impaired.
The last time I saw him was at lunch at his house, when the
Arbitration Treaty, as amended by the Senate, was under the
consideration of President Roosevelt. The arbitrationists, headed by
ex-Secretary of State Foster, urged the President's acceptance of the
amended treaty. We thought he was favorable to this, but from my
subsequent talk with Secretary Hay, I saw that the President's
agreeing would be keenly felt.
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