Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1908 — KAISER TURNS DOWN HILL AS AMBASSADOR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KAISER TURNS DOWN HILL AS AMBASSADOR

PERBONAL DISLIKE BY EMPEROR 18 GIVEN AS REASON FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACT. PRINCE HENRY VISIT IS CAUSE OF BREACH Nature of Untoward Incident Unknown —Appointee to Have Taken Place Vacated by Charlemagne Tower, Who Resigned. Washington, Mar. 26. —The German government has declined to receive Dr. David Jayne Hill in the c» paclty of Americafi ambassador to succeed Charlemagne Tower, whose resignation has been accepted to take effect upon the qualification es of hte successor. Dr. Hill is at present American-minister to The Hague and was formerly first assastant sec-

retary of state under the administration of Secretary Hay. Kaiser Dislikes Hill. The objection to Dr. Hill is on* purely personal to Emperor William, wh# has simply cageed it to be made known that the American diplomatist Is persona non grata to him. Tho roason for the emperor’s objection is connected with the visit to America several years ego of his brother, Prince Henry, the ranking admiral of the German navy. Dr. Hill at that time was first assistant secretary of state end necessarily was brought into official contact with the distinguished foreign visitors. Just what he did or did not do to give offense is not known here. Once Contented to Him. A perplexing feature of the case is presented by tbe fact that last November the German government let it he known that Dr. Hill would he cordially received as American ambamador to Berlin. At that time Ambassador Tower, after the president had sought in vain to dissuade him from such a course, reached the decision that proper consideration for his own private business interests and the welfare of his children, whose education he deemed it necessary to perfect In America, obliged him to insist upon tho acceptance of his resignation. Reasons for His Selection. Dr. Hill was selected to fill this Important vacancy for two reasons: First, because of his high rank la the world o t literature and diplomacy.

ana, second, because his promotion would be In execution of Secretary Root’s cherished plan for the application of civil service principles in the diplomatic service. For two years preceding Dr. Hill had been an American minister, first "accredited to Switzerland and then to The Hague. He was engaged in monumental literary work, covering the entire history of the world’s diplomacy, and those two posts afforded exceptional advantages for the procurement of the great mass of material needed. Decision a Great Surprise. As that task neared completion Dr. Hill found himself willing to abandon the field for the higher diplomatic post of Berlin and, as already stated, the German foreign office cordially responded to the usual cautious overtures Irom the state department here as to his availability for appointment as ambassador. So Wednesday’s decision of the German emperor has come as a complete surprise to official Washington. It is nevertheless final as far as Dr. Hill is concerned, for the etiquette that governs International relations does not permit of any question of the right of a sovereign to Interpose an objection to the reception of any official who comes to his post in the extraordinary and personal character of ambassador. Rumor Quickly Confirmed. Notice of the action of the German government in Dr. Hill’s case camp to the state departmen t quite unofficially at first Wednesday, there being nothing in the shape of a formal notification, but simply an intimation of What -waff to Toncw. SecfetaryEoot was amazed, because his own Information was that not only the German foreign office, but Emperor William himself, had formally signified a willingness to receive Dr. Hill when his name was suggested last fall. Therefore, the first conclusion reached at the state department was that somewhere a mistake had been made. Secretary Root Immediately communieeted by telephone with Baron Speck von Sternburg,

Dr. David Jayne Hill.