The Washington times., 1907-04-26

YOU, the representatives OF
IL the people of continental Eu-
rope. From almost every nation OF
Europe we have drawn some part OF
of our blood, some part Of our traits.
This mixture Of blood has gone on
from the ,cgmning, and with 1t has
gone on a kind of deve. pment I'M
exampled among peoples OF the
stocks from which we spring; and
hence today we differ sharply from,
and vet in some ways are funda-
mentally akin to, all of the nations
of Europe.
Again, let me bid you welcome,
representatives of our sister repub-
lies OF this continent. In the larger
aspect, your interests and ours
are identical. Your problems and
ours are in large part the same;
and as we strive TO settle them, l
pledge YOU herewith on the part of
this nation the heartiest friendship
and good will.
Finally, let me say a special word
of greeting TO those representatives
of the Asiatic nations who make up
that newest East which is yet the
most ancient East, the East of time
immemorial. In particular, let me
express a word of hearty welcome
to the representative of the mighty
island empire Of Japan; that empire,
which, in learning from the West,
has shown that il had so much, so
very much. to teach the West in re-
turn.
Tide of Thought Tends to Peace.
To all Of you here gathered I ex-
press my thanks for your coming, and
I extend TO you my earnest wishes for
the welfare Of your several nations.
The world has moved so far that IL is
no longer necessary TO believe that one
nation can rise only by thrusting an
other down. All farsighted statesmen,
all true patriots, now earnestly wish
that the leading nations of mankind, as
in their several ways they struggle con-
stantly toward a higher civilization, a
higher humanity. may advance hand in
hand, united only in a generous rivalry
90 see which can best do its allotted
work in the world. ] believe that there
is a rising tide in human thought which
tends for righteous international peace
a tide which IT behOoves US TO guide
through rational channels TO sane con
cIuslons; and all Of US here present car
well afford to take TO heart st. PauI's
counsel: 1T it be possible, as much as
1ieth in you. live peaCeably with all
men"
We have met today to celebrate The
opening Of the exposition which itself
commentaries the first permanent set
Element OF men OF our stock in Vir-
ginia, the first beginning Of what ha.
since become this mighty Republic
Three hundred years ago a handful OF
English adventures, who had crossed
the ocean in what we should now cal
cockle-boats, as clumsy as they wer
frail, landed in the great wooded wilder
ness, the Indian-haunted waste, which
then stretched down to the waters edg
along the entire Atlantic coast. The!
were not the first men of European rae
10 settle in what is now the Unite,
states. for there were already Spanisl
settlements IN Florida ana on the neau
waters Of the Rio Grande; and tn
French who at almost the same tim
were struggling up the St. Lawrence
were likewise destined to form perma
nent settlements on the Great Lake
and IN the valley of the mighty Missis
sip7i before the people OF English stOc
went westward Of the Alleghenies
Moreover, both the Dutch and tn
swedes were shortly TO found colonie
between the two sets of English col
onies, those that grew up around tn
Potomac and those that grew up o
what is now the New England coast
Nevertheless this landing at JamestOw
possesses for US OF the United States a
altogether peculiar significance, an
this without regard to our severs
origins.