Stephen Bonsal to Bernard M. Baruch
Title
Stephen Bonsal to Bernard M. Baruch
Creator
Bonsal, Stephen, 1865-1951
Identifier
WWP16326
Date
1921 January 4
Description
Stephen Bonsal asks Bernard Baruch to speak on his behalf to Norman David and Cary Grayson about his nomination for Technical Advisor to the Dominican Republic.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
My dear Mr. Baruch
Kind and lenient friends have brought my name to the attention of the State Department for the position of Technical Adviser to the Dominican Government, which is shortly to be filled, and I am writing to ask you, if you can conscientiously, to say a word for me to Mr. Norman Davis and to Admiral Grayson.
I am at a loss to emphasize my qualifications for the post, as I donnot know exactly what is required! However, I filled somewhat simi;lar duties when I was commissioner in the Philippines and very laudatory comment on what I did out there written by the Governor-General and other officials, is on file in the department. What in my record that would probably most endear me to the Dominicans is the fact that in the advance,ment of self-government out in the Philippines I succeeded in having my office abolished three years before my term expired!
I was also Technical Adviser to the American-Mexican High Commission and both Secretary Lane and Judge Gray, who were our commissioners, expressed themselves in writing very favorably to my work. These endorsements are also on file.
While I visited Santo Domingo twice and am quite familiar with the country, I have no “entangling alliances” of any kind down there, and have not been in the island since 1912. I speak and write Spanish fluently and am not wholly unfamiliar with the workings of the Latin-American mind.
If the job is to help the Dominicans get a grip on their own country and induce them to govern themselves in a fairly decent way, I think I might be helpful. My book “The American Mediterraniean (1913)”, I may add, is by some regarded as authoritative in regard to the Carribean world.
Trusting that I am not trespassing upon your friendship in making this bold request, and with all good wishes for the new year, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Stephen Bonsal
Kind and lenient friends have brought my name to the attention of the State Department for the position of Technical Adviser to the Dominican Government, which is shortly to be filled, and I am writing to ask you, if you can conscientiously, to say a word for me to Mr. Norman Davis and to Admiral Grayson.
I am at a loss to emphasize my qualifications for the post, as I donnot know exactly what is required! However, I filled somewhat simi;lar duties when I was commissioner in the Philippines and very laudatory comment on what I did out there written by the Governor-General and other officials, is on file in the department. What in my record that would probably most endear me to the Dominicans is the fact that in the advance,ment of self-government out in the Philippines I succeeded in having my office abolished three years before my term expired!
I was also Technical Adviser to the American-Mexican High Commission and both Secretary Lane and Judge Gray, who were our commissioners, expressed themselves in writing very favorably to my work. These endorsements are also on file.
While I visited Santo Domingo twice and am quite familiar with the country, I have no “entangling alliances” of any kind down there, and have not been in the island since 1912. I speak and write Spanish fluently and am not wholly unfamiliar with the workings of the Latin-American mind.
If the job is to help the Dominicans get a grip on their own country and induce them to govern themselves in a fairly decent way, I think I might be helpful. My book “The American Mediterraniean (1913)”, I may add, is by some regarded as authoritative in regard to the Carribean world.
Trusting that I am not trespassing upon your friendship in making this bold request, and with all good wishes for the new year, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Stephen Bonsal
Original Format
Letter
To
Baruch, Bernard M. (Bernard Mannes), 1870-1965
Files
Collection
Citation
Bonsal, Stephen, 1865-1951, “Stephen Bonsal to Bernard M. Baruch,” 1921 January 4, WWP16326, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.