The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-12
TRIBUTE
TO EL|HU ROOT
President Roosevelt Says He
Is Greatest Secretary
Of State.
CORNER STONE is LAID,
HOME FOR THE BUREAU OF
AMERICAN REPUBLICS is REST
ED AMIDST FITTING CEREMON-
les AT WASHINGTON, D. c.

tion of President Roosevelt.
This tribute was paid 10 he head of
the state department yesterday after
noon when the president laid the cor
ner stone Of the homo for the bureau
Of American republics, to the con-
struction OF which Andrew Carnegie
has donated $75o,ooo. The presidents
address follows:
This is a memorable occasion for all
the peoples OF the western hemisphere.
The building, the cornerstone of which
we lay today, emphasizes by its exist
cnCe the growing sense of solidarity of
interest and aspiration among all the
peoples Of the new world. 1t marks
our recognition of the need to knit ev-
cr claser together all the republics Of
the western hemisphere, through the
kindly bonds of mutual justice. good
will, and sympathetic comprehension.
At the outset, on behalf of all of us
wish to thank Mr.. Carnegie for his
generous gift-a gift to all the nations
of the new world, and therefore pre-
cminently fitting as coming from one
who has so sincerely striven for the
cause of peace among nations; for
while we have yet a long path to tread
before we can speak with any certain
ty of the day when wars shall cease
! from the earth, we Of this western
| hemisphere, by movements such as
that symbOlized by this building, have
taken great strides toward securing
permanent peace among ourselves.
In the next place as president Of this
republic | greet the representatives Of
all our sister republics to the south Of
us. In a sense, you are our elder sis
| tiers and we the younger people, for
you represent a more ancient CiViliza-
ton on this continent than we do.
Your fathers, the Spanish and POrtu-
guese explorers, COnQuerOrS, lawgivers,
and commonwealth builders, had
| founded flOurishing civilization in
the tropics and the south temperate
| zone, while all America north of the
Rio Grande was still an unmapped will
! derness. Your people had founded
American universities, were building
beautiful cities, were laying deep the
foundations of future national life, at
many different points in the vast ter
ritOry stretching from the Colorado to
the Plata before the ships of the
Frenchman and the Englishman, the
Swede and the HOllander, had found
permanent Ravens on the north Allan
| tic seaCOast. For centuries our several
civilizations grew each in its own way,
but each sundered from the others.
Now we are growing together.
More and more in the future we shall
each give to and get from the others,
not merely things. of material value,
but things that are of worth for the
intellectual and spiritual welfare OF
all of us. In the century that has
passed the development of North
America has. on the whole, proceeded
faster than the development of South
America; but in the century that has
now opened | believe that no other
part of the world will see such extra
ordinary development in wealth, in
population, in all that makes fOl
progress, as will be seen from the
northern boundary of Mexico through
all Central and South America; anC
| can assure you that the people OF
this nation look with the most pro
found satisfaction upon the grea'
- growth that has already taken place il
the countries which you representa-
growth alike in political stability anC
in the material we'll being which car
2 only come when there is political sta
f bility,
Our battle fleet has just finished it
trip around South America, and | wisl
10 thank the rulers and the peoples O
South America and Mexico for the gen
erous and courteous hospitality whicI
! has been shown this fleet on ever,
possible occasion throughout the trip
t In conclusion. let me speak of anOth
. er trip, made a couple of years ago b.
the secretary of state, Elihu Root, tn
first time in our history the America
t secretary of state, during his term @
|. office, left the country 10 visit certai
I other nations Mr.. Root made tn
5 complete tour of South America, tray
: ersed Central America. and after
: wards visited Mexico, He was every
where received with the hearties
n greeting, greeting which deepl
l. touched our people, and l wish to sa
Y once more how appreciative we are c
s the reception rendered him.
His voyage was unique in characte
e and value. 1t was undertaken onl
because we citizens of this republi
n recognize that our interests are NOR
closely intertwined with the interest
= of the other peoples of this continer
" than with those Of any other nation
- I believe that history will say tina
y though we have had other great seer
:. taries of state. We have had none grea
5 er than Elihu Root; and that though
j. his high office he has done much K
h the good of his nation and Of mankint
y yet that his greatest achievement Ia
< been the success which has come {
~ the result of his devoted labor to brin
> closer together all the republics of II
- New World, and to unite them IN II
effort TO work valiantly for our con
~ mon betterment. for the material an