The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-09-04

other lands, | return with delight to
the land of my birth, with more con
fidence in its government and CRATE
full to the kind Providence that cast
my lot in the United States. My ma
tional pride has been increased be-
cause of the abundant evidence | have
seen of the altruistic interest taken
by Americans in the people of other
countries. No other nation can show
such a record of benevolence and dis
interested friendship. Ny love for
our form of government has been
quickened as | have visited castles
and towers, and peered into dark
dungeons, and l am glad that our
nation, profiting by the experience of
the past and yet unhampered by ira
ditions and unfettered by caste, has
been permitted to form a new cen-
ire of civilization on new soil and
erect here "a government of the peo-
pie, by the people and for the people,
1 also return more deeply impressed
than ever before with the RESPONSE
bility which rests upon our nation as
an eXemplar among the nations and
more solicitous that we, avoiding the
causes which have led other nations
to decay, may present higher ideal
than has ever before been embodied
in national life and carry human
progress to a higher plane than it has
before reached.
Il desire, moreover, to acknowledge
indebtedness to the American officials
who have everywhere shown us all
possible courtesy and kindness.
II do not know that | c2G better
show my appreciation of the welcome
1nI h., nt,.xy,, NfaYnt 10
to submit some suggestions drawn
from observations during the past. A
Japanese educator, addressing me
through an interpreter said:
I wish you would find the worst
thing in Japan and tell us about 1t
so that we may correct it.
II commended the generous spirit
which he manifested, but assured him
that had not visited Japan in search
of faults and blemishes, but rather
that | might find the best things in
Japan, and take them home for the
benefit of my own people. Each ma
tion can give lessons to every other
and while our nation is in position
to make the largest contribution, as
believe, to the education of the
world, it ought to remain in the atti-
tude of a pupil, and be ever ready
to profit by the experience of others.
A MESSAGE OF PEACE.
1.-The first message that | bring
from the old world is "a message of
peace The cause of arbitration is
making real progress in spite of the
fact that the nations most prominent
in the establishment of The Hague
tribunal have themselves been en-
gagged in wars since that court was
organized There is a perceptible
growth in sentiment in favor of the
settlement of international disputes
by peaceful means. 1t was my good
fortune to be present at the last
session of the nter-Parliamentary
union which convened in London on
the twenty-third of July. Twenty-six
nations were represented and these
included all the leading nations of the
world.
This Peace Congress, as it is gen.
orally known, not only adopted reso-
buttons in favor of the limitation or
ornaments and the arbitration of all
questions relating to debts, but unani-
mously endorsed the proposition that
all questions of every nature should
be submitted to an impartial tribunal
for investigation or to the mediation
of friendly nations before hoStilities
are commenced. 1t is not necessary
Ito point out the importance of the
positions taken. The embodiment of
the suggestion in treaties would go a
long way toward removing the prob
ability of war. While the idea is of
American origin it was heartily ac-
eepted by the representatives of Eng
land, France, Germany and other
European countries. | believe that If
our nation would propose to make
with every other nation a treaty pro-
viding that all questions in dispute
between the parties should be sub
mitted to the Hague court or some
other impartial international tribunal
for investigation and report before
any declaration of war or commence
ment of hostility, II would find many
nations willing to enter into such a
compact. | am sure from the public
utteranceS of the present prime min
iater of Great Britain, Sir Henry
Campbell -Bannerman, that such a.
treaty could be made between the
two great English speaking nations,
and their example would be followed
until the danger of war would be al
most, if not entirely, 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 be advanced
agaist such action on the part of the
United States Shall we yield to
any other nation In the estimate to
be placed upon the value of human
life? | confess that my aversion to
killing increases with the years.
Surely the creator did not so plan the
universe as to make the progress of
the race dependent upon wholesale
bloodshed. ! prefer to believe that
war instead of being an agency for
good is rather evidence of mans sur
render to his passions and that one
Of the tests of civilization is mans
willingness to submit his controver-
des to arbitrament of reason rather
than of force.
NO NAVY TO COLLECT DEBTS.