Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-16

spirit Of genuine disinterestedness of genu-
inc and single-minded purpose to benefit the
In Panama we are successfully performing
what is to be the greatest engineering feat
Of the ages, and while we are assuming
the whole burden OF the work, we have
explicitly pledged ourselves that the use
is to be free for all mankind. In the islands
of the caribbean we have interfered not as
conquerors, but solely to avert the need Of
conquest. The United States army Is at
this moment in Cuba, not as an act OF war,
but the restore to the position of a self
governing republic. With Santo Domingo
we have just negotiated a treaty especially
designed to prevent the need Of any inter-
ference either by US or by any foreign nation
with the internal affairs Of the island, while
tors their debts and to the government Of the
island secured income and giving TO the
tbey viii take adyantage Of H. to achievSS
the internal peace they sorely need.
Relation with south America.
Mr.. Roots trip through South America
marked the knitting together in the bonds
Of self-respecuns friendship Of all the
republics of this continent; II marked a
step toward the creation among them OF
community Of public feeling which will
western hemisphere. BY the joint good Of
fees of Mexico and ourselves we averted
one war in Central America and did what
we could to avert another, although we
failed. We have more than once, while
avoiding officious International meddling
shown our readiness TO help other nations
secure peace among themselves. A diff
fcuity which we had with our friendly
neighbor to the south of US we solved by
difficulty which we had with our friendly
neighbor to the north Of us we solved by
the agreement Of a joint commission comb
posed Of representatives of the two peoples
In interest. We try to avoid meddling In
SSSr9 rdt e 1r 1 Sers tbsy ana avail N
on behalf Of fair dealing and against cruelty
and oppression. We have concluded certain
arbitration treaties; only regret that we
have not concluded a larger number.
Progress is Expected.
Our representatives will go TO the sec
ond peace conference at The Hague in
structed to help in every practicable way
to bring some steps nearer completion the
great work which the first conference
began. 1t is idle TO expect that a task so
conferences. 1t is not possible that the
conference should go further than GER
tain distance In the right direction. Yet /
progress and fair dealings One of the
questions, though not to my mind the
greatest, which will be brought to con-
sideration is the question of ornaments.
The United States. owing to it's peculiar
position, has a regular army so az to be
lnhnitesimal when compared with other
powers. We are no longer charging our
navy we are simply keeping up its
strength, very moderate, indeed, when
coast line; for the addition of one battieship
year barely enables US TO make good the
units which become obsolete. The most
OF expense caused by the increasing size
Of naval ornaments would, l believe be
an agreement limiting the size of all ships
hereafter to be built, but hitherto II has
not proved possible to get other nations to
agree with US on this point
Arbitration the Real Remedy.
More important than reducing the ex-
pense of the implements OF war is the
question OF reducing the possible cause of
war, which can most effectually be done
by substituting other methods than war for
the settlement of disputes OF those other
methods the most important which Is now
attainable Is arbitration. l do not believe
that In the world as II actually is. 1t is
possible for any nation to agree TO arb-
trate all difficulties which may arise be-
tween itself and other nations, but / do
believe that there can be at this time a
large Increase in the classes of cases which
it is agreed shall be arbitrated and that
provision can be made for greater facility
and certainty of arbitration. / hope TO see
adopted general arbitration treaty among
the nations, and | hope TO see The Hague
court greatly increased in power and
permanently. and the judges in particular
made permanent and given adequate sal
aries, so as to make II probable that in
each case that may come before them
they will decide between the nations great
or small exactly as a Judge within our
own limits decides between the individuals
Doubtless many other matters will be
taken up at The Hague, but II seems to me
that this question OF a general arbitration
treaty 10 perhaps the most important. sin
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Address of Governor.
Governor Hughes, after voicing a formal
welcome to the congress. alluded to Presl-
the nation, the lustre Of whose fame as