The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-14
In a Speech at Mechanics' Pavilion He
Tells the Californians They Typi-
fy National Expansion.
SUPREMACY IN THE PACIFIC
A POSITION MADE INEVITABLE BY
THE MARCH OF EVENTS.
Turning the Sod for q Monument to
McKinIey-Warmth Of Greeting
Manifest on All Sides.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13.-Expansion
and supremacy in the Pacific was the gist
of President Roosevelt's speech tonight
before the citizens Of San Francisco In
Mechanics Pavilion. It was a vast throng
that listened to the words Of the Presi-
dent, and he spoke as though the impress
sions that had been collecting in his mind
for several days during his tour of the
Western seacoast burst from him spon-
taneously. The people went wild with
cheers, and his talk about world affairs
and the place Of the United States in cos
mopolitan doings met with heartier re-
ception, II that were possible. than at any
place during the present tour.
The speech came at the close of q busy
day, but the President displayed little
fatigue. The meeting was marked with
heart-to-heart atmosphere that made the
words of the speaker and the minds Of the
listeners a unie. M. H. De Young, presi-
dent of the citizens reception committee,
introduced the President. Cheers filled the
hall for several minutes. The President
said in part:
Before I saw the Pacific slope / was an
expansionist and after having seen it
fail to understand how any man who Is
confident of his country's greatness and
glad that this country should challenge
with proud confidence our mighty future
can be anything but an expansionist. In
the century that is opening the commerce
and the progress Of the Pacific will be fac
tors of incalculable moment in the history
of the world. Now. in our day, the great
est of all the oceans, Of all the seas, and
the last to be, used on a large scale by
civilized man, bids fair to become in its
turn the first In point of Importance. Our
mighty Republic has stretched across the
Pacific, and now in California, Oregon and
Washington, in Alaska and Hawaii and the
Philippines. holds an extent of coast line
which makes it; Of necessity power of the
first class on the Pacific The extension in
the area of our domain has been immense,
even greater. Americas geographical po-
sition on the Pacific is such as to insure
our peaceful domination of its waters in
the future il only we grasp with sufficient
resolution the advantages of this position.
We are taking long strides In this direc-
ton; witness the cables We are laying down
and the great steamship lines we are start
ing; steamship lines some Of whose vessels
are larger than any freight carriers the
world has yet seen. we nave taken the
first steps toward digging an isthmian
canal to be under our own control-a canal
which will make our Atlantic and Pacific
coast lines to all intent and purpose con-
tinuous and will add immensely alike to
our commercial and our military and naval
strength.
MARCH or THE INEVITABLE
THE inevitable march of events gave us
the control of the Philippines at time
opportune that it may without irrever-
ence be held providential. Unless We show
ourselves weak. unless we show ourselves
degenerate sons of the sires from whose
loins we sprane. we must go on with the
work that we have begun.
II earnestly hope that this work will al
ways be peaceful in character. We in
finitely desire peace. and the surest way to
obtain II is to show that we are not afraid
of war. We sheuld deal in a spirit of fair
ness and justice with all weaker nations
we should show to the strongest that We
are able TO mair,tain our rights. Such show
Ing cannot be rlade by bluster for bluster
merely invites contempt. Let US speak
courteously, deal fairly and keep ourselves
armed and ready. If we do these things we
can count on the peace that comes only to
the just man AIMED. to the just man who
neither fears ncr infiicts wrong. We must