Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-02
WARW0]ULD BE CRIME
laps Express Delight at Taft's
 Peace and Good Will Talk.
SILVER SERVICE FOR HIS WIFE
American War Secretary at Tokyo Banquet Says Japan Doesn't Want Philippines and America Couldn't Sell Them-strons Plea For Harmony.

| -
 Banquet Says Japan Doesn't Want Philippines and America Couldn't Sell
 Them-strons Plea For Harmony. 1 Tokyo, Oct 2. = Secretary of War Traits speech at the banquet given in his honor by the city of Tokyo and the chamber of commerce has created a splendid impression. After the ban tquet the assembly room was the scene of remarkab ble manifestation of good will, everybody congratulating every one else on the complete removal Of the little cloud" over the friendship between America and Japan.
 Mir Taft aroused the widest enthu- ]siasm when he declared that war be- tween America and Japan would be "a as wicked as it would be insane" add ing that neither people desired 1t and that both governments would do their utmost to guard against such an aw- full catastrophe. He lodged the immi- l grafton question, saying that he would 1 not trespass upon the fed of the state department, but MT. O'Brien (the new American ambassador) would say that the entire matter was "easy of sensible arrangement between sensible men,"
 Americans" he said, "are proud to record that Japan has always had the cordial sympathy and at times the ef- fective aid of the United States. For a moment, for a moment only, a little I cloud came over the sunshine of the fast friendship of fifty years. Only the greatest earthquake of the century could have caused even the slightest tremor between such friends.
 Dodges San Francisco Trouble. q do not intend to consider the de- tails of the events at San Francisco. I l cannot trespass on the jurisdiction of the department of state. It is for my colleague MT. Root or my friend MT. | OBrien to discuss this matter. But say there is nothing in these events that cannot be honorably and fully ar ranged by ordinary diplomatic meth ods, conducted as both governments are, by statesmen of honor, sanity and | justice.
 War between Japan and the United States would be a crime against mod i ern civilization. It would be insane. Neither the people of Japan nor the people of the United States desire war. The governments of the two countries would strain every point to avoid such an awful catastrophe. Neither would gain anything. l
 'The world will have confidence that Prince Ito and the Japanese govern ment are pursuing a policy in Korea which will make for justice, civiliza- tion and the welfare of a backward people.
 l. ~ Why Should Either Wish War?
 "Why should Japan wish for war? It must stop or seriously delay the ex- ecution of her plans for the reform of Korea.
 "Why should the United States wish for war? It would change her in a year or more into a military nation Her great resources would be wasted in vast equipment which would serve no good purpose, but would tempt the nation into warlike policies. Why should she wish for war fin which all the evils of society flourish and all vultures fatten?
 "She is engaged in establishing a government of law and order in the Philippines, fitting those people by gen. eral education to govern themselves. It has been suggested that we might relieve ourselves of this burden by the sale of the islands to Japan or some other country. The suggestion is absurd. Japan does not wish for the Philippine Islands. She has prob lens of a similar nature nearer home. More than this, the United States could not sell the islands to another power without the grossest violation of its obligations to the Philippine people.
 Under all these circumstances, then, could there be anything more wicked, more infamous, than the suggestion of war between two nations who have enjoyed such time honored friendship and who have nothing to fight forT
 Silver Service For Mrs. Taft.
 A dispatch from Yokohama says that Secretary and Mrs. Taft were the guests of honor at a brilliant reception in the American consulate, under the auspices of the Asiatic association. Features of the entertainment were the presentation of a silver tea service to Mrs. Taft from the city of Yokohama and the exchange of significant and friendly speeches between Secretary