The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-10-03
PEACE AND GOOD WILL
Notable Speech Of Secretary Taft
at Banquet In Toxic.
BEST OF FEELING PREVAILS

Brands as 0roundIess Talk of War
Between United States. and Japan
and Declares 1t Would Be a Crime
Against Modern Civilization.
Toxic, Oct. Secretary Of War
Taft aroused the widest enth nsiasm
and loud cheers when, in the course
OF his speech at the banquet given in
his honor by the municipality of To-
kio and chamber of commerce, he de.
clared that war between the United
States and Japan would "be crime
against modern civilization and as
wicked as 1t would be INSANE" adding
that neither people desired it and
that both governments would do their
utmost to guard against such an awful
catastrophe.
The secretary spoke with intense
earnestness, after careful deliberation
and preparation.
The banquet took place in the as
semblyroom of the Imperial hotel,
Viscount Shibusawa presiding, and
was attended by prominent officials
and many of the leading business
men Of Toxic. Viscount Shlbusawa,
in welcoming Mr.. Taft, paid glowing
tribute to the greatness Of the nation
which the secretary represented, the
friendliness which the United States
had always displayed for Japan and
the influence which America exerted
throughout the world.
Secretary TAFT Replies.
In replying Mr.. Taft spoke with
deep feeling and positiveness He as.
serted that the talk of unfriendliness
between the United States and Japan
was due entirely to the commercial
ism Of the newspapers in America"
The secretary declined to discuss the
immigration question, saying that he
would not trespass upon the field of
the state department. Continuing,
Mr.. Taft said:
"Americans will always be proud of
the part President Roosevelt was able
to play in Fastening the end of the
war and bringing about peace under
circumstances honorable to both ia.
pan and Russia. Japan, having proved
her greatness in war, has taken a
stand In the first rank of the family
of nations. You have concluded trea-
ties with your former antagonist and
the wounds caused by the war are
healed.
"The growth of Japan, from a. her
nit nation to her present position, in
the last fifty years is a marvel to the
world. Americans are proud to record
the fact that Japan has always had
the cordial sympathy and at times the
effective aid Of the United States. For
moment-for a moment only-a lit
tie cloud came over the sunshine of
the fast friendship Of fifty years. Only
the greatest earthquake of the century
could cause even the slightest tremor
between such friends. I do not intend
to consider the details of the events
at San Francisco; cannot trespass
on the jurisdiction of the department
Of state. 1t is for my colleague, Mr..
Root, or my friend, Mr.. O'Brien, to
discuss this matter.
Resort to War Unnecessary.
Il say that there is nothing in these
events that cannot be honorably and
fully arranged by ordinary diplomatic
methods between the two govern
ments, conducted as they both are by
statesmen of honor, sanity and JUS
tice. War between Japan and the
United States would be crime
against modern civilization. It would
be insane. Neither the people of ia.
pan nor the people of the United
States desire war. The governments
Of the two countries would strain ev-
cry point to avoid such an awful catas-
trophe. Neither would gain any,
thing
"Some one asks why such reports
and rumors of war? The capacity of
certain members of the modern press
by sensational dispatches to give rise
to unfounded reports has grown with
the improvement of communication be-
tween distant parts of the world. The
desire to sell papers, the desire for
political reasons to embarrass the eX-
listing government or other and even
less justiflable motives have led to
misstatements, demonstrations and
unfounded guesses, all worked into
terrifying headlines which have no
foundation whatever"
After the banquet the assemblyroom
was the scene of a remarkable mani
Hesitation Of good will, everybody con-
graduating everybody else on what
was considered to be a complete re-
moval of the little cloud" which had
been hanging over the fifty years of
friendship between the United States
and Japan and rejoicing at the fact
that final damper had been put upon
sensational utterances regarding the
possibility of strained relations be-
tween the two countries.
FOUND on AFRICAN COAST
Bodies Of Spanish Flood Victims