from Bryan to the Prime Minister!  Z told me that this 100-year business gave a chance to bind the nations together that ought not to be missed.  Hence Bryan had asked him to take up the relations of the countries with the Prime Minister!  Bryan sent a telegram to Z to be read at a big 100-year meeting here.  As for the personal indignity to me—­I overlook that.  I don’t think he means it.  But if he doesn’t mean it, what does he mean?  That’s what the Prime Minister asks himself.  Fortunately Mr. Asquith and I get along mighty well.  He met Bryan once, and he told me with a smile that he regarded him as “a peculiar product of your country.”  But the Secretary is always doing things like this.  He dashes off letters of introduction to people asking me to present them to Mr. Asquith, Mr. Lloyd George, etc.

In the United States we know Mr. Bryan.  We know his good points, his good services, his good intentions.  We not only tolerate him; we like him.  But when he comes here as “the American Prime Minister” [45]—­good-bye, John!  All that we’ve tried to do to gain respect for our Government (as they respect our great nation) will disappear in one day.  Of course they’ll feel obliged to give him big official dinners, etc.  And—­

Now you’d just as well abandon your trip if he comes; and (I confess) I’d rather be gone.  No member of another government ever came here and lectured.  T.R. did it as a private citizen, and even then he split the heavens asunder[46].  Most Englishmen will regard it as a piece of effrontery.  Of course, I’m not in the least concerned about mere matters of taste.  It’s only the bigger effects that I have in mind in queering our Government in their eyes.  He must be kept at home on the Mexican problem, or some other.

     Yours faithfully,

     WALTER H. PAGE.

P.S.  But, by George, it’s a fine game!  This Government and ours are standing together all right, especially since the President has taken hold of our foreign relations himself.  With such a man at the helm at home, we can do whatever we wish to do with the English, as I’ve often told you. (But it raises doubts every time the shoestring necktie, broad-brimmed black hat, oratorical, old-time, River Platte kind of note is heard.) We’ve come a long way in a year—­a very joyful long way, full of progress and real understanding; there’s no doubt about that.  A year ago they knew very well the failure that had saddled them with the tolls trouble and the failure of arbitration, and an unknown President had just come in.  Presently an unknown Ambassador arrived.  Mexico got worse; would we not recognize Huerta?  They send Carden.  We had nothing to say about the tolls—­simply asked for time.  They were very friendly; but our slang phrase fits the situation—­“nothin’ doin’.”  They declined San Francisco[47].  Then presently they began to see some plan in Mexico; they began to see our attitude on the tolls;