The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04

to man BY nature 1t is an art to be
learned, and It is also an expression OF
thousands Of men who exercise popular
sovereignty.
To reach the goal toward which we are
pressing forward. the governing multitude
must hrst acquire knowledge that comes
follows practical experience personal In
dependence and self-respect BETTING men
troll to replace that external control which
q democracy rejects. respect for law.
obedience TO the lawful expressions of
the public will. consideration for the
opinions and interests of others equally
that abstract conception-one' country
as inspiring as that loyalty to personal
soyereigns which has so illumined the
pages or history, subordination OF per-
sonals interests to the public good. love
of justice and mercy, of liberty and or
oer- All these we must seek BY slow and
I,atlent fort; nd of how many shar;-
colulTgs in his wn land and among HIS
OGn People ca CT one of us is cons > lis
Yet no student of our times can fail to
see that not America alone but the whole
civilized world IS swinging away from
its old governmental mo0rings and IN
trusting the fate of KS civilization to the
capacity of the popular mass to govern.
By this pathway mankind IS 10 travel.
whithersoever it leads. Upon the success
Of this our great undertaking the hope
OF humanity depends.
Nor can we fan to see that the wCrid
makes substantial progress towards >saore
1 believe it to be true that viewed
against the background of conditions a
eminent in my own country has ad-
vanced, in the intelligent participation OF
ity and honesty with which theiF are rep
resented, in respect for law. in obedience
70 the dictates OF sound morauty. and
ton.
Nowhere in the world has this prog
ress been more marked than in Latin
America out of the wreck of Indian
strong and stable governments have
n
the peoples will has replaced the forci-
BILE seizure of power permitted by the
try, its peace, its dignity, its honor. has
risen above partisanshlp for individual
rule of man. Property is protected and
the fruits of enterprise are secure. Indi-
Vidual liberty is respected. Continuous
puDnc poHcies are followed; national
faith is held sacred Progress has not
been progress everywhere. The movement
in the right direction is general. The
continentaL The present affords just
cause for satisfaction; the future is bright
with hope.
It is not by national isoiatih that
these results have been accomplished. or
that this progress can be continued. No
nation can live unto itself alone and con-
tlnue to live. Each nations growth is
part of the development of the race.
There may be leaders and there may be
laSgards, but no nation long con-
tinue very far in advance of the general
progress of mankind. and no nation that
is not doomed to extinction can remain
very far behind It is with nations as
It is with individual men; intercourse, as
ISOLATION, correction Of egotism by the in
huence of others judgment. broadening
Of views by the experience and thought
dards of a community the desire for
whose good opinion lends a sanction TO
the rules of right cOnduct-these are the
conditions of growth in civiliza ton. A
people whose minds are not open to the
lessons Of the worlds progress, whose
spirits are not stirred by the aspirations
and the achievements of humanity strug-
Cling the world over for liberty. and jus
tlce, must be left behind by civilization
in Its steady and benehcent advance
70 pro1hote TINS mutual interchange ana
assistance between the American repub-
lies, engaged in the same great task. in
spired by the same purpose, and profess
ing the same principles, / understand to
be the function of the American confer
ence now in session. There is not one OF
al our countries that can not benefit the
others; there is not one that can not re-
ceive benefit from the others; there is not
one that will not gain by the prosperity,
the peace the happiness of ali.
According to your programme no great
and impressive single thing is to be done
by you; no political questions are to be
discussed; no controversies are to be set
tied; no Judgment is 10 be Dassed -t,ron
the conduct of any state but many sub
jects are to be considered which afford
the possibility of removing barriers to In
tercourse; of ascertaining for the COM
mon benefit what advances have been
made by each nation in knowledge, in ex-
perlence, In enterprise, in the solution OF
dlfncuIt questions OF government. and in
ethical standards; of perfecting our
away with the misconceptions the misun-
derstandings. and the resultant prejudiccs
that are such fruitful sources of contro-
versy.
And there are some subjects in the pro
gramme which invite discussion that may
lead the American republics towards an
agreement upon principles. the general
practical application of which can come
only in the future through long and pa
tent effort. Some advance at least NAV
be made here towards the complete rule
of justice and peace among nations IN
The association of so many eminent
men from all the Republics. leaders Of
opinion in their own homes; the friend
ships that will arise among you, the habit
of temperate and kindly discussion Of
tainment of common sympathics and
aims; the dissipation Of misunderstand-
peoples of this peaceful and conslderate
method of comforting upon international
quesuons-this alone, quite Irrespective of
the resolutions you may adopt and the
conventions you may sign. will mark a
substantial advance in the direction Of
international good understanding.
These beneficent results the government
and the people of the United States OF
America greatly desire We wish for no
victories but those of peace; for no ter
ritory except our own; for no sovereignty
except the sovereignty over ourselves. We
deem the independence and equal rights
OF the smallest and weakest member OF
the family of nations entitled to as much
respect as those of the greatest empire.
and we deem the observance OF that re-
spect the chief guaranty of the weak
against the oppression of the strong We
neither claim nor desire any rights. or
privileges, or powers that we do not free
ly concede to every American republic.
We wish to increase our prosperity, TO
expand our trade, to grow in wealth, IN
wisdom, and in spirit. but our conception
Of the true way to accomplish this is not
to pull down others and profit by their
ruin, but to help all friends to a common
prosperity and a common growth. thar
we may all become greater and stronger
together.
Within a few months. for the first time
the recognized pyssessors of every foot
of soil upon the American continents can
the acknowledged rights Of equal SOW
ereign states in the great world congress
at The Hague. This Will be the worlds
formal and final acceptance of the decla-