The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-09-07

east my lot in the United States. My
rational pride has been increased because
OF abundant evidence ! Lave seen or the
altruiStic interest taken by Americans in
the people Of other cru"u3ts. NO othef
na5i0n can show such a record OF beneN9-
IcACe and diSnlerested friendship. My love
for our form Of government has been
QuiCkened as ! have visited castles ana
towers, and peered mo d TX dungeons.
and l. am glad that our nation, protlAg
by the experience of the past. and ="
unhampered by traditions. and untctter2d
by caste. has been permitted to form Il
new center of Civilization on new soil. ana
erect here d government Of the Iepp.@,
By the people. and also for the people.
| also return more deeply imur"Ssod
than ever before with the responsibility
which rests upon our nation as AN e%-
empar among the nations and more so
licitOus that We. avoiding the ciuSes
which have led other nations To decay.
may present Il higher ideal than has ever
before been embodied II Il national me-
and carry human progress 70 Il hlS er
plan" than it has before rcarEed
| desire, moreover, to ackhOWI"uS" III
debtedncss 20 the American officials wn"
have everywhere shown us all possible
courtesy and kindness.
do not know that | can do better to
show my appreciation OF the Welcom" ac-
corded me by my ccuntrymen, than 10
submit some suggestions drawn from OBJ
aervati0nS during the naSt Year. A JanaD-
csc educator. addressing m" through an
interpreter. said Il wish You would find
the worst thing in Japan and tell us about
It so that we may correct It. | com
mended the generous spirit which he IN m
Tested, and assured him that | had never
visited japan in search of faults ana
hlHmishes. hut rather that ! might find
the best things in Japan. and take them
ho.ne for the benefit of my own people.
Each nation can give lessons to every
other and while our nation is in . posi-
ton TO make the largest contribution. as
| believe. to the education of the world. IT
ought to remain in the attitude of pupil,
and be over ready to rrctit by the tx
perienCe Of others.
Message From the Old World
TIL" first message that ! bring from the
old world is a message of peace. The
cause Of arbitration is making real prog
reSs in spite OF the fact that the nations
most prominent in the establishment Of
The Hague tribunal have themselves been
engaged in war since that court was OF
gained There IS a pcrceptiDIc growth IN
sentiment in favor OF the sett cment Of
international disputes by peaceful means.
1t was my good fortune to be present 1T
the last session of the intcrparliamentary
union which convened in London on the
3d OF July. I~enty-SIX nations were rep
resented and these included all the lead
Ing nations of the world. This peace con-
greSS. us it Is generally known. NOT only
adopted resolutions in favor OF the linitf-
ton of arma,ucntS, and the arbitration OF
all questions relating to debts. but unanl
mousy Endorsed the proposition that all
questions OF every nature should be sub
mitted to an impartial tribunal for inVeS-
tigItiON. or to the mediation of ielGly
nations before EostilticS are comm need.
II Is not necessary to point out the i'm
portancc Of thc position taken. inc en-
boiment Of the suggestion in treaties
woj'd go a long way toward removing tn"
probability of war. While the iGca is Of
American origin. it was heartily accepted
by tie representatives. of England,
France. Germany and other Europcln
countries | believe that II our nation
would propose TO make with every nation
a treaty providing that all questions in
Dispute between the parties should be
submitted to The Hague court. or to some
other impartial international tribunal for
investigation and report, before any decia-
ration of war or commencement Of h s.
tllitY, it would find many nations willing
10 enter into such a compact, / am sure
from the public utterances of the present
prime minister Of Great Britain, Sir Hen
~ Campbell Bannerman that such a
treaty could be made between the two
great English speaking nations. and their
example would be followed until the dan
ger OF war would be almost. If rot en-
tirely. removed. To take the lead In such
a movement would establish our position
As world power in the best sense of the
term. And what argument can &c adj
Vanccd against such action on the part
of the United States? Shall we yield to
any other nation in the estimate to be
placed upon the vGlue OF human life?
Surely the Creator did not so plan the
universe as 10 make the progress of the
race dependent upon wholesale bloodlet-
ting | prefer to believe that war, inste &,
of being an agency for good is rather an
evidence OF mans surrender to his pas
sions and that one of the tests of civliza-
ton and mans willingness to submit his
controversies to the arbitrament of rea-
son rather than Of force.
The Navy as Collector.
Another subject connected with our for
eign relations | venture to suggest that
we may not only promote peace. but also
advance our commercial interests, by an
nounCing as a national poiCy that our
Tiayy will not be used for the collection or
private debts. While protecting the lives
of our citizens everywhere, and guaran-
teeing the personal safety Of all VINO owe
allegiance to our flag, we should in my
Judgment. announce that persons engag-
ing in business and holding property in
other lands for business purposes must be
subject To the laws Of the countries in
which they engage in business enter
priSe|. Many profitable tielGS Of invest
mont are now closed because the people
of the smaller nations are afraid that an
Investment of foreign capital will be made
an excuse for foreign invasion. Several
times on tt g.. : fact has been
brought = .Ay attention. and ] an con-
WINGED ttlat for every dollar that We could
secure to American investors by an at
tempt to put the government back of their
private claims, we would lose many dol
lars by closing the door to investment
Mark the distinction between the protec-
ton of the lives of our citizens and the
use of the navy to guarantee profit on
investments. We do not imprison for
debt in the United States. neither do we
put men to death because of the failure to
pay what they owe, and our moral pres
tige as well as our commercial interests
will be conserved by assuring all nations
that American investments depend for
protection on the laws of the country to
which the investors 60
Our Experiment In coIonlaism.
EefOre leNing International politics. let
me add that our nation has lost prestige
rather than gained it, by our experiment
in colonalism. We have given the mon
archiSt a chance to ridicule our declara-
tion Of independence, ana the Scoffer has
twitted Us with the Inconsistency. A tour
through the Philippine islands has deep
encd the conviction that We should lose
no time in announcing our purpose to deal
with the Fiipinos as We deal with the
Cubans. Every consideration, commercial
and political, leads to this conclusion
Such ground as we may need for coaling
stations or for naval base will be gladly
conceded by the FilipinCs, who Simply de-
sire an opportunity to work out their
own destiny. inspired by our example ami
aided by our advice. In so far as our
efforts have been directed toward the
education of the Filpincs, we have rem
dered them distinct service. but in edu-
eating them We m st recognize that we
q. I.