The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-01
WORLDS GREAT
PEACE MAKERS.
The United States and the Monroe
Doctrine Great Factors i'm the
Progress of Humanity.

Peoria. Tll.. April THE seventh an
nual banquet OF the Kickapoo club was
held here last night Covers were lald
for $50 guests. The decorations we're
very elaborate. and the list OF speakers
included Leslie NJ Shaw. secretary and
treasurer and Charles Emory Smith, OF
Philadelphia comm sssoner general of Inn
migration, Frank p. Sargent. was also
present
A large oil painting of President Roose-
Welt Illuminated by incandescent lamps
caused a spontaneous outburst OF ap-
plausc. which lasted some minutes Both
Secretary Shaw and Mr.. Smith. were
given ovatiOns
Secretary Shaw's address was mas
terly history of the Republican party
from its Inception.
Mr.. Smith spoke as follows:
II has been said that our war with
Spain and its results hlled this country
with new and dangerous idens- IL has
been asserted that IL led us out Of the
path OF peace and progress within our
own rghtfll domain into greed or pow
cr. a spirit OF aggression and an amhi-
ton 20 play part among nations which
Is fraught with peril. ] undertake 10 af-
firm on the contrary. that ~ has given
as a new position and power for the pres
ervation of peace and the promotion or
mSrsl obligations as a ruEng law be-
tween peoples.
II Is true that in the conflict with Spain,
for the first time in our history. we made
war for cause outside of our own
rights and honor But the war com
PEELED us not only 10 drive Spain out OF
this hemisphere. but TO unfurl our flag
over her missoverned islands on the other
side Of the Pacific. and this expansion
brought us into new relations with the
different quarters of the globe.
FIFTH GREAT POWER.
England. France. Germany and Rus
sia were the four great powers because
their arms extended over the continents
and the seas. When the United States
reached across the seas 1t became the
nth great power.
The practical test came when the storm
broke loose I'm China In 1900 But that
greater crisis came after our war with
Spain, and that chapter OF our history
made the difference that, instead Of look
ing on from the outside, our country sat
al the head OF the table. We were the
worlds peacemaker in China. How and
why? Because I'm spite OF the horrld
outbreak at Pekin. our government insist
ed that there was not state Of war.
In a higher and larger sense the United
States was the worlds peacemaker there.
From the very beginning our government
declared that the two keynotes OF Ameri-
can policy were the maintenance of the
integrity OF the Chinese Empire and the
preservation OF equal commercial oppor-
tunity through the open door Who
doubts that ~ the United States had not
taken this position and asserted II with
all her moral force. those ambitious and
a aggrandizing powers OF Europe would
have seized the opportunity 10 make
division OF China?
The United States is the worlds peace
maker in the Western Hemisphere. This
truth was recently emphasized when we
practically enforced peace between Nene-
zuela and her European assailants. II IL
had not been for our Intervention the In
cipient war would have become deadly
conflict with seizure OF territory. South
America is the only large portion OF the
globe which by reason Of its intrinsic
conditions. seemed open 10 assault and
upon which Europe has not laid violent
hands.
Under these conditions Il is certain that
the great powers OF Europe would have
stretched their arms to South America n
the position OF the United States had not
prevented II. The Monroe doctrine is a
peace maker
PREVENTED CONQUEST
The Monroe doctrine as our government
applied IL dfd not prevent coercive
meaFUrey HHHtnsr VVUcZUrfH1 but n tru
prevent the development OF those meas
ures into invasion, oppression or conquest.
The time seems TO be approaching when
we must consider whether the Monroe
doctrine shall not have a broader appl
cation and whether IL shall not be made
In a still higher degree the peace maker
OF the western hemisphere. Shall II be
broadened 10 protect this continent again
st forcible methods OF collecting claims
which are not admitted among nations
OF equal standing elsewhere?
The true commercial like the natural
political relations OF South America. are
with the United States. We want no
territorial acquisition there. We want
only n true Elsrerhood OF American re-
publcs. The whole trend OF events