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THE ARGUS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 4, 190G. 0 he work of other educational author Ities. Agricultural education Is neces sarily based upon general edncatlon, but our agricultural educational Insti tutiobs are wisely specializing them selves, making their courses relate to the actual teaching of the agrlcultura and kindred sciences to young country people or young city people who wish to live In the country. Great progress has already been made among farmers by the creation of farm ers' institutes, of dairy associations, of breeders associations, horticultural as soriations and the like. A striking ex ample of how the government and the farmers can co-operate is shown In connection with the menace offered to the cotton growers of the southern states by the advance of the. boll wee vil. . The department is doing all It can to organize the farmers In the threatened districts, lust as It has been doing all It can to organize them In aid of Its work to eradicate the cattle fever tick In the south. The de partment can and will co-operate with all such associations, and it must have their help If its own work is to be done in the most efficient style. Irrigation and Forest Preservation. Much Is now being done for the states of the Rocky mountains and great plains through the development of the national policy of irrigation and forest preservation. No government policy for the betterment of our Inter nal conditions has been more fruitful of good than this. The forests of the White mountains and southern Appa larhian regions should also be preserv ed, and they cannot be unless the peo ple of the states in which they lie, through their representatives in the congress, secure vigorous action by the national government. Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington, I Invite the attention of the congress to the estimate of the secretary of war for an appropriation to enable him to begin the preliminary work for the con struction of a memorial amphitheater at Arlington. The Grand Army of the Re public in Its national encampment bas urged the erection of such an amphi theater as necessary for the proper ob servance of Memorial day and as a fit ting monument to the soldier and sailor dead buried there. In this I heartily concur and commend the matter to the favorable consideration of the congress. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. This Whole Question Should Be Regu lated by Congress. I am well aware of how diflicult it is to pass a constitutional amendment. Nevertheless. In my judgment, the whole question of marriage and divorce should be relegated to the authority of the national congress. At present the wide differences in the laws of the dif ferent states on this subject result in scandals and abuses, and surely there Is nothing so vitally essential to the welfare of the nation, nothing around which the nation should so bend itself to throw every safeguard, as the home life of the average citizen. The change would be good fr."m every standpoint. In particular It wculd be good because It would confer cn the congress the power at once to deal radically and ef ficiently with polygamy, and this should be done whether or not mar riage and divorce are dealt with. It is neither safe nor proper to leave the question of polygamy to be dealt with by the several states. Power to deal with it should be conferred on the na tional government. When home ties are loosened, when men and women cease to regard a worthy family life, with all Its duties fully performed and all its responsi bilities lived up to as the life best worth living, then evil days for the commonwealth are at hand. There are regions in our land and classes of our population where the birth rate has sunk below the death rate. Sure ly it should need no demonstration to show that willful sterility Is, from the standpoint of the nation, from the standpoint of the human race, the one sin for which the penalty Is national death, race death, a sin for which 'there is no atonement, a sin which Is the more dreadful exactly in propor tion as the men and women guilty thereof are In other respects. In char acter and bodily and mental powers, those whom for the sake of the state It would be well to see the fathers and mothers of many healthy children, well brought up In homes made happy by their presence. No man, no wo man, can shirk the primary duties of life, whether for love of ease and pleasure or for any other cause, and retain his or her self respect. ' American Shipping. Let me once again call the atten tion of the congress to two subjects concerning which I have frequently before communicated with them. One is the question of developing American shipping. I trust that a law embody ing In substance the views or a major part of the views expressed In the re port on this subject laid before the bouse at Its last session will be passed. 1 am well aware that In former years objectionable measures have been pro posed In reference to the encourage ment of American shipping, but it seems to me that the proposed meas ure Is as nearly unobjectionable as any can be. It will of course benefit primarily our seaboard states such as Maine, Louisiana and Washington but what benefits part of our people In the end benefits all. just as govern ment aid to Irrigation and forestry In the west Is really of benefit not only to the Rocky mountain states, but to all our country. If it prove Imprac ticable to enact a law for the encour agement of shipping generally, then at least provision should be made for better communication with South America, notably for fast mail lines ' Ing made a to oar purpose to do all in to the ichlef South American ports. It our power for their welfare. So far is discreditable to us that our business J our action In the Philippines bas been people, for lack of direct communica- J abundantly justified, not mainly and tion in the shape of lines of steamers with South America, should in that great 6lster continent be at a disad vantage compared to the business peo ple of Europe. CURRENCY REFORM. Serious Defects la Present System Pointed Out. I especially call your attention to the second subject the condition of our currency laws. Tlie national bank act has ably served a great purpose In aiding the enormous business develop ment of the country, and within ten years there has been an Increase in circulation per capita from $21.41 to $33.08. For several years evidence has been accumulating that additional leg islation Is needed. The recurrence of each crop season emphasizes the de fects of the present laws. There must soon be a rev'iion of them, because to leave them'' they are means to incur liability of business disaster. Since your body adjourned there has been a fluctuation in the interest on call mon ey from 2 per cent to SO per cent, and the fluctuation was even greater dur ing the preceding six months. The sec retary of the treasury had to step In and by wise action put a stop to the most violent period of oscillation. Even worse than such fluctuation Is the advance In commercial rates and the uncertainty felt in the sufficiency of credit even at high rates. All com mercial Interests suffer during each crop period. Excessive rates for call money In New York attract money from the interior banks Into the specu lative field. This depletes the fund that would otherwise be available for commercial uses, and commercial bor rowers are forced to pay abnormal rates, so that each fall a tax. In the shape of Increased Interest charges. Is placed on the whole commerce of the country. The mere statement of these facts shows that our present system Is seri ously defective. There Is need of a change. Unfortunately, however, many of the proposed changes must be ruled from consideration because they are complicated, are not easy of compre hension and tend to disturb existing rights and interests. We must also rule out any plan which would ma terially impair the value of the United States 2 per cent bonds now pledged to secure circulation, the Issue of which was made under conditions peculiarly creditable to the treasury. I do not press any especial plan. Various plans have recently been proposed by expert committees of bankers. Among the plans which are possibly feasible and which certainly should receive your consideration Is that repeatedly brought to your attention by the pres ent secretary of the treasury, the es sential features of which have been approved by many prominent bankers and business men. According to this plan, national banks should be permit ted to Issue a specified proportion of their capital In notes of a given kind, the Issue to be taxed at so high a rate as to drive the notes back when not wanted In legitimate trade. This plan would not permit the issue of currency to give banks additional profits, but to meet the emergency presented by times of stringency. "Spasms of High Money." I do not say that this Is the right system. I only advance It to empha size my belief that there Is need for the adoption of some .system which shall be automatic and open to all sound banks, so as to avoid all possi bility of discrimination and favoritism. Such a plan would tend to prevent the spasms of high money and speculation which now obtain in the New York market, for gt present there Is too much currency at certain seasons of the year, and Its accumulation at New York tempts bankers to lend It at low rates for speculative purposes, whereas at other times when the crops are be ing moved there Is urgent need for a large but temporary increase in the currency supply. It must never be for gotten that this question concerns busi ness men generally quite as much as bankers. Especially is this true of stockmen, farmers and business men in the west, for at present at certain seasons of the year the difference In Interest rates between the east and the west is from 0 to 10 per cent, whereas in Canada the corresponding difference Is but 2 per cent. Any plan must, of course, guard the interests of western and southern bankers as carefully as It guards the interests of New York or Chicago bankers and must be drawn from the standpoints of the farmer and the merchant no less than from the standpoints of the city banker and the country banker. The law should be amended so as specifically to provide that the funds derived from customs duties mav be Indeed not primarily because of the added dig?!ty it has given us as a nation by proving that we are capable honorably nd efficiently to bear the International burdens which a mighty people should bear but even more be cause of ttie Immense benefit that has come to the people of the Philippine Islands. In these islands we are stead ily introducing both liberty and order to a greater degree than their people have ever before known. We have se cured justice. We have provided an efficient police force and have put down ladronlsm. Only In the Islands of Leyto and Samar is the authority of our government resisted, and tl.is by wild mountain tribes under the f-uper stitious inspiration of fakirs and pseu do'religicus leaders. We are constant ly increasing the measure of liberty accorded the Islanders, and next spring. If conditions warrant, we shall tr.ke a great stride forward In testing their capacity for self government by sum moning the first Filipino legislative as sembly, and the way in which they stand this test will largely determine whether the self government thus granted will be increased or decreased. for If we have erred at all in th Phil ippines ft has been In proceeding too rapidly ?n the direction of granting a large measure of self government. We are bu'Ming roads. We have, for the immeasurable good of the people, ar ranged "or the building of railroads, Let us also see to it that they are giv en a free access to our markets- This nation owes no more Imperativw duty to itse'f and mankind than the duty of managing the affairs of all the Islands under ihe American flag the Philip pines. Porto Rico and Hawaii fo as to make 11 evident that It is in every way to their advantage that the flag should fly over them. Porto Rican Affairs. Amel-.can citizenship should e con ferred on the citizens of Porto Rico. The harbor of San Juan In Poito Kico should be dredged and Improved. The expenses of the federal court cf Porto Rico should be met from the federal treasury. The administration of the affairs of Porto Rico, together with those of the Philippines. Hawaii and our other insular possessions, should be directed under one executive de partment, by preference the depart ment of state or the department of war. Hawaii. The needs of Hawaii are peculiar. Every aid should be given the islands, and our efforts should be unceasing to develop them along the lines of a com munity of small freeholders, not of great planters with cooiy tilled es tates. Situated, as this territory is. In the middle of the Pacific, there are duties imposed upon this small com munity which do not fall In like degree or manner upon any other American community. This warrants our treat ing It differently from the way in which we treat territories contiguous to or surrounded by sister territories or other states and Justifies the setting aside of a portion of our revenues to be expended for educational and in ternal improvements therein. Hawaii is now making an effort to secure Im migration lit In the end to assume the duties and burdens of full American citizenship, rnd whenever the leaders In the various Industries of those Is lands finally adopt our Ideals and heartily join our administration In en deavoring to develop a middle class of substantial citizens a way will then be found to deal with the commercial and Industrial problems which now ap pear to them so serious. The best Americanism is that which aims for stability and permanency of prosper ous citizenship rather than immediate returns on large masses of capital. Alaska. Alaska's needs have been partially met, but there must be a complete re organization of the governmental sys tem, as I have before Indicated to you. I ask your especial attention to this. Our fellow citizens who dwell on the shores of Puget sound with character istic energy are arranging to hold in Seattle the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific expo sition. Its special aims Include the up building of Alaska and the develop ment of American commerce on the Pacific ocean. This exposition in Its purposes and scope should appeal not only to the people of the Pacific slope, but to the people of the United States at large. Alaska since it was bought has yielded to the government $11,000. 000 of revenue and has produced near ly $300,000,000 in gold, furs and fish. When properly developed It will become In large degree a land of homes. The countries bordering the Pacific ocean have a population more numerous than that of all the countries of Europe. Their annual foreign commerce amounts to over $3,000,000,000, of which the share of the United States is some $700,000,000. If this trade were proper considerations of self interest any more than a private individual can so do. But it is equally true that the average private individual in any real ly decent community does many ac tions with reference to other men in which he is guided not by self inter est, but by public spirit, by regard for the rights of others, by a disinterested purpose to do good to others and to raise the tone of the community as a whole. Similarly a really great nation must often act, and as a matter of fact often does act, toward other nations in a spirit not in the least of mere self in terest, but paying heed chiefly to eth ical reasons, and as the centuries go by this disinterestedness in interna tional action, this tendency of the In dividuals comprising a nation to re quire that nation to act with justice toward its neighbors, steadily grows and strengthens. It Is neither wise nor right for a nation to disregard its own needs, and it is foolish and may be wicked to think that other nations will disregard theirs. But it is wicked for a nation only to regard its own In terest and foolish to believe that such is the sole motive that actuate any other nation. It should be our tdeady aim to raise the ethical standard of na tional action just as we strive to raise the ethical standard of individual ac tion. Justice to Immigrants. Not only must we treat all nations fairly, but we must treat with justice and good will all immigrants who come here under the law. Whether they are Catholic or Protestant, Jew or gentile, whether they come from England or Germany, Russia, Japan or Italy, mat ters nothing. All we have a right to question is the man's conduct, if he is honest and upright in his dealings with hin neighbor and with the at ate, then he Is entitled to respect and good treatment. Especially do we need to remember our duty to the stranger within our gates. It is the sure mark of a low civilization, a low morality, to abuse or discriminate against or In any way humiliate such stranger who has come here lawfully and who Is conducting himself properly. To re member this Is incumbent on every American citizen, and it is of course peculiarly incumbent on every govern ment otlicial. whether of the nation or of the several states. I am prompted to say this by the at titude of hostility here and there as sumed toward the Japanese in this country. This hostility Is sporadic and Is limited to a very few places. Never theless It is most discreditable to us as a people, and it may be fraught with the gravest consequences to the nation. The friendship between the United States and Japan has been continuous since the time, over half a century ago, when Commodore Perry by his expedi tion to Japan first opened the islands to western civilization. Since thon the growth of Japan has been literally astounding. There is not only nothing to parallel it but nDthing to approach It in the history of civilized mankind Japan h.;s a glorious and ancient past. Her civiization is older than that of the nations of northern Europe, the na tions from whom the people of the United States have chiefly sprung. But fifty yocrs ago Japan's ' development was still that of the middle ages. Dur ng that fifty years the progress of the country In every walk in life has been a marvel to mankind, and she now stands an one of the greatest of -civilized nations, great in the arts of war and in tho arts of peace, great In mill tary. In Industrial, in artistic develop ment and .izhievement. Praise For Japan Japanese soldiers and sailors have shown themselves equal In combat to any of whom history makes note. She has proinced great generals and mighty admirals. Her fighting men, afloat and ashore, show all the heroic courage, the unquestioning, unfalter ing loyaly. the splendid indifference to hardship and death, which marked the Loyal Ronlns, and they show also that they posspss the highest Ideal of patriotism. Japanese artists of every kind see their products eagerly sought for In nM lands. The industrial and commercial development of Japan has been phenomenal, greater than thai of any other country during the samo pe riod. At the same time the advance In science and philosophy is no less mark ed. The Admirable management of the Japanese Red Cross during the late war, the efficiency and humanity of the Japanese officials, nurses and doc tors, won the respectful admiration of all acquainted with the facts. Throuch the Red Cross the Japanese people sent over $100,000 to the sufferers of San Francisco, and the gift was accepted with gratitude by our people. The courtesy of the Japanese, nationally and individually, bas become prover bial. To no other country has there been such an Increasing number of visitors from this land as to Japan. In return Japanese have come here In great numbers. They are welcome, so cially and Intellectually, In all our col- ln one or two other places because of their efficiency as workers. To shut them out from the public schools is a wicked absurdity when there are no first diss colleges in the land. Includ ing the universities and colleges of California, which do not gladly wel come Japanese students and on which Japanese students do not reflect credit. We have as much to learn from Japan as Japan has t5 learn from us, and no nation is fit to teach unless it is also willing to learn. Throughout Japan Americans are well treated, and any failure on the part of Americans at home to treat the Japanese with a like courtesy and consideration is by Just so much a confession of Inferiority in our civilization. Our nation fronts on the FaciCc Just as it fronts on the Atlantic. We hope to play a constantly growing part in the great ocean of the orient. We wish, as we ought to wish, for a great commercial development In our deal ings with Asia, and it is out of the question that we should permanently have such development unless we free ly and gladly extend to other nations the same measure of Justice and good treatment which we expect to receive In return. It Is only a very small body of our citizens that act badly. Where the federal government has power it will deal summarily with any such. Where the several states have power I earnestly ask that they also deal wisely and promptly with such con duct or else this small body of wrong doers may bring shame upon the great mass of their innocent and right thinking fellows that Is, upon our na tion as a whole. Wood manners should be an International no less than an Individual attribute. I ask fair treat ment for the Japanese as I would ask fair treatment for Germans or English men. Frenchmen, Russians or Italians. I ask It as due to humanity and civi lization. I ask It as due to ourselves, because we must act uprightly toward all men. Naturalize Japanese. I recommend to the congress that an act be passed specifically providing for the naturalization of Japanese who come here intending to become Amer lean citizens. One of the great em barrassments attending the perform ance of our International obligations Is the fact that the statutes of the United States are entirely Inadequate. They fail to give to the national government sufficiently ample power through Unit ed States courts and by the use of the army and navy to protect aliens In the rights secured to them, under solemn treaties which are the law of the land I therefore earnestly recommend that the criminal and civil statutes of tho United States be so amended and add ed to as to enable the president, acting for the United States government, which is responsible in our internation al relations, to enforce the rights of aliens under treaties. Even as the law now Is something can be done by the federal government toward this end. and In the matter now before me affecting the Japanese everything that It Is In my power to do will be done, and all of the forces, military and civil, of the United States which I may lawfully employ will be so employed There should, however, be no particle of doubt as to the power of the nation al government completely to perform and enforce its own obligations to oth er nations. The mob of a single city may at any time perform acts of law less violence against some class of for eigners which would plunge us Into war. That city by itself would be powerless to make defense against the foreign power thus assaulted, and if independent of this government it would never venture to perforin or permit the performance of the acts complained of. The entire power and the whole duty to protect the offending city or the offending community lie in the hands of the United States gov ernment. It is unthinkable that we should continue a policy under which n given locality may be allowed to com mit a crime against a friendly nation and the United States government lim I ted not to preventing the commission of the crime, but In the last resort to defending the people who have com mitted it against the consequences of their own wrongdoing. CUBAN INTERVENTION. We Wish Nothing of the Island Save That It Prosper. Last August an Insurrection broke out In Cuba which It speedily grew ev ident that the existing Cuban govern ment was powerless to quell. This government was repeatedly asked by the then Cuban government to Inter- failed. Finally the president of the re public resigned. The quorum of con gress assembled failed by deliberate purpose of Its members, so that there was no power to act ou his resignation, and the government came to a halt. In accordance with the so called Piatt amendment, which was embodied In the constitution of Cuba, I thereupon proclaimed a provisional government for the island, the secretary of war acting as provisional governor until be could be replaced by Mr. Ma goon, the late minister to Panama and governor of the canal zone on the isthmus Troops were sent to support them and to relieve the navy, the expedition be ing handled with most satisfactory sjieed and efficiency. The insurgent chiefs Immediately agreed that their troops should lay down their arms and disband, and the agreement was car ried out. The provisional government has left the personnel of the old gov eminent and the old laws, so far as might be, unchanged and will thus ad minister the island for a few months until tranquillity can be restored, a new election properly held and a new government Inaugurated. Peace has come in the island, and the harvesting of the sugar cane crop, the great crop of the island, is about to proceed When the election has been held and the new government Inaugurated In peaceful and orderly fashion the pro visional government will come to an end. I take this opportunity of ex pressing upon behalf of the American people with all iossible solemnity our most earnest hope that the people of Cuba will realize the imperative need of preserving Justice and keeping or der in the Island. The United States wishes nothing of Cuba except that it shall prosper morally and materially and wishes nothing of the Cubans save that they shall be able to preserve or der among themselves and therefore to preserve their independence. If the elections become a farce and if the in surrectionary habit becomes confirmed In the island, it is absolutely out of the question that the island should con tinue independent, and the United States, which has assumed the sponsor ship before the civilized world for Cuba's career as a nation, would again have to intervene and to see that the government was managed in 6uch or derly fashion as to secure the safety of life and property. The path to be trodden by those who exercise self government is always hard, and we should have every charity and patience with the Cubans ns they tread this difficult path. I have the utmost sym pathy with and regard for them, but I most earnestly adjure them solemnly to weigh their responsibilities and to see that when their new government is started it shall run smoothly and with freedom from flagrant denial, of right on the one hand jind from Insurrection ary disturbances on the other. The Rio Conference. The second International conference of American republics, held In Mexico In the years J 901-02, provided for the holding of the third conference within five years and committed the fixing of the time and place and the arrange ments for the conference to the gov erning board of the bureau of Ameri can republics, composed of the repre sentatives of all the American nations in Washington. That board discharg ed the duty Imposed upon It with marked fidelity and painstaking care. and upon the courteous invitation of the United States of Brazil the con ference was held at Rio de Janeiro. continuing from the 23d of July to the 29th of August Inst. Many sub jects of common interest to all the American nations were discussed by the conference, nnd the conclusions reached, embodied in a series of reso lutions and proposed conventions, will be laid before you upon the coming in of the final report of the American delegates. They contain many matters of Importance relating to the exten sion of trade, the increase of communi cation, the smoothing aw: y of barriers to free intercourse and .the promotion of a better knowledge and good under standing between the different coun tries represented. The meetings of the conference were harmonious nnd the conclusions were reached with sub stantial unanimity. It Is Interesting to observe that In the successive con ferences which have been held the representatives of the different Ameri can nations have been learning to work together effectively, for while the first conference In Washington In 1SS9 and the second conference in Mexico In 1901-02 occupied many months, with much time wasted In an unregulated and fruitless discussion. the third conference at Rio exhibited much of the facility In the practical dispatch of business which character izes permanent deliberative bodies and completed Its labors within the period vene and finally was notified by the president of Cuba that he intended to of six weeks originally allotted for Its resigu. that his decision was irrevoca- I sessions. treaieu uy iiie 8ecreiry oi ine ireas- tfaor OOJ?hIy understood and pushed by leges and institutions of higher learn, nry as he treats funds obtained under ! nrnr. ,o 1 nr, i oii nmwuni the Internal revenue laws. There should be a considerable Increase in bills of small denominations. Permis sion should be given banks. If neces sary under settled restrictions,' to re tire their circulation to a larger amount than three millions a month. PHILIPPINE TARIFF. Lower Rate of - Absolute Free Trade 'Is Urged.' I most earnestly hope that the bill to provide a lower tariff for or else abso lute free trade In Philippine products will become a law. No harm will ome to any American Industry, and, while there will be some small but real material benefit to the Filipinos, the main benefit will come by the show- Industries not only of the Pacific slope, but of all our country, and particular ly of our cotton growing states, would be greatly benefited. Of course In or der to get these benefits we must treat fairly the countries with which wo trade. International Morality. It Is a mistake, and it betrays a spir it of foolish cynicism, to maintain that all international governmental action is and must ever be based upon mere selfishness . and that to advance eth ical reasons for such action Is always a sign of hypocrisy- This Is no more necessarily true of the action of gov ernments than of the action of Indi viduals. It Is a sure sign of a base nature always to ascribe base motives for the actions of others. Unquestion abjy no nation can afford to disregard Ing, In all our professional and social bodies. The Japanese have won In a single generation the right to stand abreast of the foremost and most en lightened peoples of Europe and Amer ica. They have won on their own merits and by their own exertions the right to treatment on a basis of full and frank equality. The overwhelming mass of our people cherish a lively re gard and respect for the people of Japan, and In almost every quarter of the Union the stranger from Japan is treated as he deserves that Is. he is treated as the stranger from any part of civilized Europe Is and deserves to be treated. But here and there a most unworthy feeling has manifested Itself toward the Japanese the feeling that has been shown in shutting them out ble. that none of the other constitu tional officers would consent to carry on the government and that he was powerless to maintain order. It was evident that chaos was impending, and there was every probability that If steps were not Immediately taken by this government to try to restore order the representatives of various Euro pean nations In the Island would apply to their respective governments for armed intervention in order to protect the lives and property of their citizens. Thanks to the preparedness of our navy, I was able immediately to send enough ships to Cuba to prevent the situation from becoming hopeless, and I furthermore dispatched to Cuba the secretary of war and the assistant sec retary of state In order that they might grapple with the situation on the grouud. All efforts to secure an agree ment between the contending factious by which they should themselves come to an amicable understanding and set- from the common schools in San Fran-j tie upon some modus Vivendi, some Cisco and In muttering against them provisional government of thplr own. Quite apart from the specific value of the conclusions reached by the con ference, the example of the representa tives of all the American nations en gaging in harmonious end kindly con sideration and discussion of subjects of common interest Is Itself of great and substantial value for the promotion of reasonable and considerate treatment of all International questions. The thanks of this country are due to the government of Brazil and to the people f Rio de Janeiro for the generous hospitality with which our delegates. In common with others, were received. entertained and facilitated In their work. Root's Visit South. Incidentally to the meeting of the conference the secretary of state visit ed the city of Rio de Janeiro and was cordially received by the conference, of which he was made an honorary president. The announcement of his In tention to make this visit was follow ed by most courteous and urgent invl- ot South America to visit them as the guest of their governments. ' It wa deemed that by the acceptance of these Invitations we might appropriately ex press the real respect and friendship In which we hold our sister republics of the southern continent, and the sec retary accordingly visited Brazil, Uru guay, Argentina, Chile, rem. Panama and Colombia. He refrained from visiting Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecua dor only because the distance of their capitals from the seaboard made It Im practicable with the time at bis dis posal. He carried with him a message of peace and friendship and of strong desire for good understanding and mu tual helpfulness, and he was every where received In the spirit of his message. The members of the govern ment, the press, the learned professions, the men of business and the great masses of the people united every where In emphatic response to bis friendly expressions and In doing hon or to the country and cause which he represented. In many parts of South America there has been much misunderstand ing of the attitude and purposes of the United States toward the other Ameri can republics. An Idea had become prevalent that our assertion of the Monroe doctrine Implied or carried with it an assumption of superiority and of a right to exercise some kind of protectorate over the countries to whose territory that doctrine applies. Nothing could bo further from the truth. Yet that Impression continued to be a serious barrier to good under standing, to friendly Intercourse, to the Introduction of American capital and the extension of American trade. The impression was so widespread that apparently it could not be reached by any ordinary means. It was part of Secretary Root s mis sion to dispel this unfounded Impres sion, and there Is Just cause to believe that be has succeeded. In an address to the third conference at Rio on the 31st of July an address of such note that I 6end it In, together with this message he said: We wish for no victories but those of peace, for no territory except our own, for no sovereignty except the sovereignty over ourselves. We deem the Independence and equal rights of the smallest nnd weakest member of the family of nations entitled to as much respect as those of the greatest empire, and we deem the observance of that respect the chief guaranty of the weak against the oppression of the strong. We neither claim nor desire any rights or privileges or powers that we do not freely concede to every American republic. We wish to In crease our prosperity, to extend our trade, to grow in wealth. In wisdom and in spirit, but our conception of the true way to accomplish this Is not to pull down others and profit by their ruin, but to help all friends to a com mon prosperity and a common growth that we may nil become greater and stronger together. "Within a few months for the first time the recognized possessors of ev ery foot of soil upon the American con tinents can be and I hope will be rep resented with the acknowledged rights of equal sovereign 6tates In the great world congress at The Hague. This will be the world's formal and final acceptance of the declaration that no part of the American continents Is to be deemed subject to colonization. Let us pledge ourselves to aid each other In the full performance of the duty to humanity which that accepted declara tion implies, so that In time the weak est and most unfortunate of our repub lics may come to march with equal step by the side of the stronger and more fortunate. Let us help each other to show that for all the races of men the liberty for which we have fought and labored Is the twin sister of Justice and peace. Let us unite In creating and maintaining and making effective an all American public opin ion whose power shall Influence Inter national conduct and prevent Interna tional wrong and narrow the causes of war and forever preserve our free lauds from the burden of such arma ments ns are massed behind the fron tiers of Europe and bring us ever nearer to the perfection of ordered lib erty. So shall come security and pros perity, production and trade, wealth, learning, the arts and happiness for us all." The Monroe Doctrine. These words appear to bate been re ceived with acclaim In every part of South America. They have my hearty approval, as I am sure they will have yours, and I cannot be wrong In the conviction that they correctly repre sent the sentiments of the whole Amer ican people. I cannot better charac terize the true attitude of the United States In Its assertion of the Monroe doctrine than in the words of the dis tinguished former minister of foreign affairs of Argentina. Dr. Drago, In his sieech welcoming Mr. Root at Buenos Ayres. He spoke of "The traditional policy of the United States (which) without accentuating superiority or seeking preponderance condemned the oppression of the na tions of this part of the world and the control of their destinies by the great powers of Europe." It Is gratifying to know that In the great city of Buenos Ayres upon the arches which spanned the streets in twlned with Argentine and American flags for the reception of our repre sentative there were emblazoned not only the names of Washington and Jefferson and Marshall, but also. In appreciative recognition of their scrr lces to the cause of South American In dependence. th names of James Mon roe. John Qalncy Adams, Henry Clay and Richard Rash. We take especial pleasure In the graceful courtesy of j the government of Brazil, which bas tatlons from nearly all the countries given to the beautiful and stately . i. .v- 1