And this Canal tolls matter stands in the way of everything.  It is in their minds all the time—­the minds of all parties and all sections of opinion.  They have no respect for Mr. Taft, for they remember that he might have vetoed the bill; and they ask, whenever they dare, what you will do about it.  They hold our Government in shame so long as this thing stands.

     As for the folly of having made such a treaty—­that’s now passed. 
     As for our unwillingness to arbitrate it—­that’s taken as a
     confession of guilt. . . .

We can command these people, this Government, this tight island, and its world-wide empire; they honour us, they envy us, they see the time near at hand when we shall command the capital and the commerce of the world if we unfetter our mighty people; they wish to keep very close to us.  But they are suspicious of our Government because, they contend, it has violated its faith.  Is it so or is it not?

Life meantime is brimful of interest; and, despite this reflex result of the English long-blunder with Ireland (how our sins come home to roost), the Great Republic casts its beams across the whole world and I was never so proud to be an American democrat, as I see it light this hemisphere in a thousand ways.

     All health and mastery to you!

     WALTER H. PAGE.

The story of Sir William Tyrrell’s[50] visit to the White House in November, 1913, has already been told.  On this occasion, it will be recalled, not only was an agreement reached on Mexico, but President Wilson also repeated the assurances already given by Colonel House on the repeal of the tolls legislation.  Now that Great Britain had accepted the President’s leadership in Mexico, the time was approaching when President Wilson might be expected to take his promised stand on Panama tolls.  Yet it must be repeated that there had been no definite diplomatic bargain.  But Page was exerting all his efforts to establish the best relations between the two countries on the basis of fair dealing and mutual respect.  Great Britain had shown her good faith in the Mexican matter; now the turn of the United States had come.

     To the President

     London, 6 Grosvenor Square.

     January 6, 1914.

     DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: 

We’ve travelled a long way since this Mexican trouble began—­a long way with His Majesty’s Government.  When your policy was first flung at ’em, they showed at best a friendly incredulity:  what! set up a moral standard for government in Mexico?  Everybody’s mind was fixed merely on the restoring of order—­the safety of investments.  They thought of course our army would go down in a few weeks.  I recall that Sir Edward Grey asked me one day if you would not consult the European governments about the successor to Huerta,