The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-24
UNITED STATES
A WORLD POWER
Toast to Which Justice Id. j.
Brewer Responded
At Banquet of New England
Society of Pennsylvania.
CHEERS FOR DEWEY.
WI Tingfang Responds to CA
Greeting From the Orient
Says This Country Will Be the
World Power.

/
first annual banquet of the New Eng
land Society of Pennsylvania was held
last night in Horticultural hall, covers
being laid for nearly 400 members and
guests Guests were present from New
York. Baltimore, Washington, Boston
land other cities. Assistant U. S. Attor-
ney General James III. Beck. president,
opened the speech making with a brief
address. In coming down the line of
the illustrious New Englanders. Presi-
dent Beck mentioned the name of
George Dewey" This was the signal
for an outburst Of applause such as was
not repeated during the remainder OF
the evening. The principal speaker was
Associate Justice Brewer of the United
States supreme court, who responded to
the toast THE United States; World
Power"
Justice Brewers address was fire.
quently punctuated with applause.
Among other things he said: The
twentieth century brings US face to face
with new conditions and we are con-
-scious that the United States of America
have become / more important factor
in the worlds thought Some fancy that
the Spanish war- wrought the great
change This is hardly so. &It may have
cleared the air and brought US face TO
face with the consciousness of the
change, but silent forces of commerce
and religion nave been at work Tor
years bringing about that result.
Again and again it is stated that the
United States have now become a world
power. So they have; but what is
~neant by the term, a world power, and
how are we to justify our right to that
title? Not by the manifestation OF mill
tary or naval strength
while wars will be wars have
been, and while there is within the re-
nnQiSDlaV0d
military and naval strength that makes
her the most dangerous enemy on lang
and sea, yet the dawn of the twentieth
century unveils q greater national glory
than can be found on any field of strife
While the events of the last two or three
years have compelled an increase in our
military and naval force, while the
amount of money which is called for by
the secretaries of war and navy seem
to many too large, and while the roll
of the drum and the blare of the bugle
are more often heard. yet the sons of
the pilgrims will never turn our country
over to the man on horseback nor will
our dearest 1aurels be crimsoned with
the blood of the dying soldier.
I'VE shall deserve to be called world
power because our relations with all ma
tions will be carried upon the highest
principles of truth and justice We
stand in the council of nations strong
enough to fear no attempt to wrong us;
SO strong that we cannot afford to
wrong any, even the weakest nation;
strong enough to be firmly just to the
most powerful of nations and so strong
that we must be kindly just with the
weakest. We must be frank well as
honest. Henceforth diplomatic language
must be something to reveal and not
something to conceal thought and pur-
pose. The honesty we must practice is
not the honesty of Shylock, but that of
the Golden Rule, an honesty which COM
pels US to see the other party to the
transaction
The justice in noting some of the
signs and needs of the times. touched
civil service reform. In regard to
this he said:
Into all the avenues of our official
life is entering civil service REFORM
promotion by merit has ceased to be
the joke of the politician and is COM
ing to be the controlling rule of all official
life-not merely in the army and navy
(and we have had of late some very
positive assurances in respect to them)
but in all the department of official life,
national, state and municipal. What
ever may be the present defects in the
machinery employed to secure the de-
sired result, and, very likely the de-
fects are many. it is one of the bright
thought and purpose of the people are
turned in this direction and they will
not be thwarted.''
WI Tingfang, the Chinese minister.
responded to "A Greeting from the ORR
ent." Minister WI alluded briefly to
the open door of the Chinese empire,
saying that foreigners are treated the
same as the natives; there was no high
tariff in China such as other countries
had because the other countries had ar
ranged. the tariff for China. The Oldest
ma ation in the east, he said, was grateful
to America for all she had done for
China America, he continued, would
not oppreSs the weak but would see
that justice is done to all This coun-
try will, said Minister Wu. not only be-
come "A world power, but the world
power, in commerce and peace"