Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-14
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
also Guest OF Honor at New York
Press Club Banquet.

\eW York. Feb i3.-At the 2o1 an
nlal dinner Of the New York Press
cub 1T Hotel Aston. tonight. President
Roosevelt WAS the guest of honor. Six
hundred OF mora men gathered abou+
Inc tables IN The main ballroom, while
the balconies We're filled with ladies.
N the absence of Pres. Geo. H. Rowe Of
the club, John y. Hennessy. presided.
10 MS right sat President Roosevelt.
| ana "n his left the German AmbaSsa-
cor Baron Won Sueck Sternbrrs. Next
I" President Roosat Was Right Rev.
MoHsislI"r FalcunCe, Papal delegate tC
Inc nited States.
~ items of regret were received from
the RUSSIAN ambassador and Srnatol
D1pcW.
Monsignor Falconce and Judge n
Cady Herrick We're among the speak
erS.
Pres. Roosevelt arrived 1T the hotel
about 12l5 and was introduced = few
minutes later. His entrance to the
Banquet room WAS the signal for an
"utburst If enthusiasm. followed bv Il
second demonstration when he was in
troduced. He spoke as follows:
1T is Il great pleasure for me to be-
win You tonight. 1t has not been my
good fortune, as president to spe; Tx to
the Press Club before. but have
served noNitiatte AT the GridirOn Climb
and now it is Il very great pleasure to
come here and say few words of
greeting to You of my own city. TO YOU
who have in your hands so much Of the
| pow er Of deciding what this city shall
| bc in the future.
| feel more or less inclined. when 7
| have come to Il gathering like this, to
| give an account Of my stewardship 50
| u speak. AS my friend Congressman
| SulZer will tel you-and a very good
| friend of mine he is too-in Washington
| and generally elsewhere i'm politics
about - per cent. Of the really import
ant work has nothing political in it.
| That % per cent. includes an immense
amount of worrying problems of how
| to get middling decent government:
and it is part of the creed of all pub
liz servants who aspire to be thought
decent public servants that when it
! comes t. a questioT of honesty there
| is no party lines. We can afford to
| differ widely among ourselves on queS-
| tionS Of the currcnscy, of the tariff
| ANA many other subjects; we cannot
! afford to differ on the elemental queS-
tion of getting honest and decent SER
| vice for the public from no matter
| which party, from no matter what man
happens to be in power. 1t always ir-
ritat"s me when | hear any public SER
| want alluded to. by way of praise. as
| an honest man. | shall never be con-
tent until We accept as 4 matter of
course the fast that any public man
whom the public retains in public life
| is honest. 1t is not Il matter of credit
to be honest. any more than it is a
nl1ttrr of credit to be q soldier to be
brave. 1t is i disgrace to be dishonest.
Just as il is 4 discre'lit to be 4 coward.
And in our internal affairs. the ma inr
pant Of the problem after all. is seeing
that tho Inefficient man is. if possible.
Kent out Of office; but if he is put in,
that his stay may be- as brief ~ rossf-
Idle and thai if he is crooked. nothing
shall avail. So much for our internal
policy rs 4 nation.
Now as regards our external policy.
| am glad to see that YOU have orr
good friend TIE German Ambassador
here tonight. am glad that You invi.-
Cd the representatives. of the various
foreign countries; and | want to saw
just a word aboIt the general attitude
"f our people in their foreign policy. as
10 what it should be-. Fundamentally i,
ought Ia he based on just about the
principle that 0nSht to govern each in
dividual citizen in dealing with rs fel.
ltW. on the principle Of trying to act
Squlrely by every Othe~ nation and q,
eXacting square treatment in return.
And there IS another point. Besides
acting spuarely. talk politely. "a voice.
how about the big stick Yes have
that too, but do not brandish il. Tn
private life not only DO We object tC
being wrong. nut We object almost =,
much 10 bring insulted. Now let us an.
lily it in public life in the same way