career by accepting the
office of Secretary of State under President McKinley. It was
unfortunate for him that it was at a most trying and difficult time
that he entered that department. The Spanish-American War was
coming on, and there was necessity for exercising the most careful
and skillful diplomacy. Senator Sherman's training and experience
lay along other lines. He was not in any sense a diplomat, and
his age unfitted him for the place. He retired from office very
soon, and shortly thereafter passed away. His brief service as
Secretary of State will be forgotten, and he will be remembered as
the great Secretary of the Treasury, and one of the most celebrated
of Ohio Senators.

Senator George F. Hoar, of Massachusetts, was quite prominent at
the beginning of the Forty-eighth Congress. He was jealous of New
England's interests, and was always prejudiced in its favor, and
in favor of New England men and men with New England ancestry, or
affiliations. He opposed the Interstate Commerce Act because he
thought it would injuriously affect his locality, although he knew
very well it would be of inestimable benefit to the country as a
whole. Senator Hoar was a scholarly man. Indeed, I would say he
was the most cultivated man in the Senate. He was highly educated,
had travelled extensively, was a student all his life, and in debate
was very fond of Latin or Greek quotations, and especially so when
he wanted to make a point perfectly clear to the Senate. He opposed
imperialism and the acquisition of foreign territory. He opposed
the ratification of the treaty of peace with Spain. When the
Philippine question was up in the Senate, I made a speech in which
I compared Senator Hoar with his colleague, Senator Lodge, said
that Senator Lodge had no such fear as did Senator Hoar on account
of the acquirement of non-contiguous territory, and made the remark
that Senator Hoar was far behind the times. He was not present
when I made the speech, but afterwards read it in the _Record_.
He came down to my seat greatly out of humor one day and stated
that if three-fourths of the people of his State were not in harmony
with his position he would resign.

He was one of the most kindly of men, but during this period he
was so deadly in earnest in opposition to the so-called imperialism
that he became very ill-natured with his Republican colleagues who
differed from him. I do not know but the passing of time has
demonstr