New-York tribune., 1908-02-20
TAFT FORESEES NO WAR
RTD1CULES THE TALK.
Secretary Speaks at Nashua, n. H.
and Lo1CeH, Mdss.

HamnShtrH
left I,owea, ct 6:45 O'Clock for Boston. where he
boarded the Federal Express at o'clock for
Washington. The Secretary delivered two ad-
6-esses one in Nashua this afternoon which
was devoted entirely 10 a description OF the
work being carried or by the government IN The
Philippine Islands and 10 the progress peitls
made ir digging the Panama Canal, and thls
evening he gave q talk before the members OF
she Lowell Board OF Trade. lie spoke about
twenty-five minutes here In the course of MS
address he referred tie relations between
Japan and the United States Mr. TAFT said
thai in his opinion there was no possibility OK
war with Japan His recent visit 10 the ORIENT
he said. convinced hiIa that the war talk was
ridiculous.
Mr.. Taft LEFT tie home OF Governor Charles
NJ F3oyd. in Manchester y. II, where he passed
the night early in the day. and, accompanied oy
the Governor and by Ex-Governor Frank w
Rollins viewed points of interest about that
citv. The Secretary was invited by Herman
T Straw. agent of the ATaoskeaS Cooperation
the largest cotton cloth manufacturing concern
in the world. to inspect portion OF the plant
Following the inspection. a committee Of Nashua
citizens headed 10y Charles J. Hamolett, Lor4heI
Tinted States District Attorney. Joined Mr. Taft
and psrtv and escorted him to the station. wheEe
they boarded the I0:2s express for Nashua
GREETING FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED
AT Nashua Junction crowd Of several hum
5rad rarso,s greeted Secretary Taft, notwith
standing that q heavy snoNstorm was IN prog
-ess Tie welcome of the city was extended by
7Ta,-or Albert Si7eGd. and the Secretary was
heartily cheered by the crowd. The party was
then driven TO Beasom Hall, where iuhcleoi'
was served az noon. following reception dur
ing which Mr.. Taft was Introduced TO apou'
two hundred OF the leading business men OF
Nashua. He thanked them for Their 6reetlhs
- b;-,, which. he remarked. was irrespective
of creed or partz-" He said that he was glad
20 find that the business depression in Ne"
1za-,r,e-,ra WAS less serious than in some other
parts Of the country
The Secretarv was then escorted 10 O'Donnell
Hall where he gave a talk on the Philippines
and the Panama Canal before a large a'ioleHce'
which greeted him with cheers. NT. Tart began
his sneech by saving that he understood TINS 10
he a non-partisan gathering and he did not IN
TEND TO talk politics but only to invite altehliou
TO some Of the work that had been done nY the
-rovernraent IF the United States under the poi
5cv Of expansion. He then entered on discus
sion IF the work Of the government in the Phll-
snnipes. along the line Of nis addresses at Con-
cord and Manchester YESTERDAY
PHI TPPTNF GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENT
After telling Of the geographical features. the
suits Of the islands the speaker said:
so,,r government in the Philippines has been
an exneriment and IS still largely an eXPerl-
rnentf Opposed 10 our position there are the
officials Of the English colonial goVeIilIlt& y
who hold that while everything poSslple SollIi I,
Re done for the business prosperity and healIh
of the people. little II anything should be done
for the education Of the people especlaIiy to"d4
5ba line Of self-government This they term a
mistake arguing that If this is done many
among 4bs na-jTes viii become agitators for
,yz1- Trz oT
assemblies may become but that one just closed
has certainly been dignif1ed and conscientious
The question brings TWO phases: The hrst
perhaps being whether 4 IS desired that the
colony should remain a colony. peaceful and
conten1ed and prosperous. or whether the islands
shall progress 10 be some day free and inde-
pendent The latter phase. ! believe TO be the
nearest in accord with the liberty loving fore
fathers Of ours who drafted and signed the
Declaration Of Independence
The latter part Of the secretary's address was
eevoted to the Panama Canal He said that the
location chosen was selected because it was the
77arrowest and lowest place in the backbone Of
the mountain range which extends through the
continents Of North and South America The
distance at low water mark from shore TO shore
was forty-tRo miles. but the canal channel, he
said. must be continued some distance into tide
water at each end. that the total distance of
canal channel forty-five feet deep. would be
s7fty miles.
which led TO the decision TO construct sea level
j canal and gave further details IN connection
with MS own observations made in connection
with the operations at Panama.
WARM RECEPTION At LOWELL.
Al the close Of this meeting the Secretary
started for Lowell. arriving here shortly before
: O'clock He was met by large crowd and
was chee1ed as he appeared on the station plat
form He WAS escorted 10 the Yorick club
where he held reception and passed social
hour.
Nj Taft went 10 Associate Hall at . o'clock.
There reception was given him by the Beard
&c Trade prior TO the annual banquet Of ;he or
sanization He shook hands with four hundred
members of the board and then delivered an ad-
dress OF about twenty-five minutes. \ gen
erous reception accorded him by the diners.
The Secretary spoke in part follows:
Within recent years the United States has
advanced TO the position Of OF the worlds
powers. although this advancement has been the
result in part OF q which practically
thrust upon q people.
The possession OF the Philippines and Porto
Rico wields a far greater influence among the
worlds nations than at home suppose. There
IS = great deal IL the influence OF that which
affects The eye The visit Of sixteen battle
ships TO the Pacific viii have excellent effect
for peace rather than Tor war. We are not
going about the world with chip shoul-
ders We are not hunting That is the last
thing that this country wants
AS between Japan and the United States. my
Journey TO Japan convinced me that there is
not the slightest danger OF WAY. jingOeS in
Japan and in America are largely responsible
for the war rumors that are n circulation We
ere the last government in the world with which
Japan would seek war Our historical relations
and trade relations nave made Japan a
very friendly nation What under heaven do
,ye want 10 fight Japan for? Should 20 into
q war with Japan look 10 the future with