Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-20
WhitelaW Reid
Speaks to Pilgrims.


Great Britain. III speech tonight at
the dinner of the Pilgrims of the Unit
ed States at Delnonico's, declared that
talk Of the obligations of Great Brit
ain 10 sustain Japan in war against
the United States was nonsense. The
ambassador said that there was not
the ghost Of a possibility of war with
Japan" and that there "was every
reason to think the Japanese our
friends The ambassador was ac-
corded IN ovation when he arose TO
sneak hy the 400 members of the Pill
ciims Of the United States and their
guests. Joseph X. Choate, former am
Lassador to Great Britain. was toast
master.
Arnba sSador Reid. who was the prin-
cipal guest Of the evening, spoke as
follows:
1T is. a double honor the Pilgrims
are comforting upon us tonight. Three
wears ago the London society gave me
the ilcat generous OF welcomes. ana
has never missed .tn opportunity since
to make the representative of this
cplrtry feel that he had NOT Torn that
welcome OFT. You. my old friends and
fellow citizens. repeat their Kindness
here and better * too by showing how
surely ones place is kept for him at
home while he is trying to serve you
OF. the other side of the Atlantic.
Tine work Of this society and Of ills
London twin is the same. and it is
work worthy of the great name they
have both invoked. The old Pilgrims
ul.dcr whose device YOU serve. went
out to law the foundations of a larger
liberty and q better civilization
You probably know already but still
the assurance will not bc unwelcome
that everything in the relations be-
tween the two countries is now sub
stantially as YOU would have it. There
are no serious complications. Bust
ness relations to extend intercourse is
more frequent and intimate, good will
toward us seems universal. There is no
distinction of parties in it. That was
the condition under Mr. Arthur Bal
four and Lord Lansdownc. 1t is the
same under Sir Henry Campbell Ban
herman and Sir Edward Grey. The old
est outstanding source OF irritation be-
tween the two countries, constant
danger for n century and n quarter, is
in the course Of peaceful adjustment.
In spite Of the late declaration in the
conference Of colonial prcmiers, that
there was nothing in the fisheries
question that could properly be refer
red To arbitration, the two countries,
upon the proposal of the United States,
hay" agreed to refer our differences
about it to The Hague Tribunal. DO
You realize that this is the matter
which was held by the first Adams As
Of such consequence that he refused
to sign the treaty at the close of the
Revolutionary War till ~our fishery
rights were written into II. or that the
second Adams. after the War of 1872
refused Ia close up that record till
these rights were written again into
another treaty. 1t is the oldest. the
most delicate. and i'll its possibilities
the most important one vet referred TO
The Hague.
In thus dwelling on our peaceful and
cordial relations. l am not forgetting
thc nonsense YOU have read in the
sensational press about the obligations
of Great Britain to sustain Japan in
war against the United States. If that
ignorant and foolish talk We're not mis-
chievious. you might dismiss it IS
merely another bit III yellow moon
shine. Fer first. there is no war, and
not the ghost Of q probability of war
with Japan. any more than there is Of
war with Russia. or With Tibet. or
with Paraguay and Patagonia. We
have every reason 20 think the Japa-
ne.r sincerely our friends, as we are
theirs. il they are not, there is on"
thing YOU may be sure about, thc5'
certainly are not fools and YOU have
to think them entirely without conf
mon sense before you can imagine
them capable Of seeking war with 4
powerful and friendly nation, half way
around the globe, absolutely without
q grievance or a motive. And second
~, the treaty between Great Britain
ard Japan simply provides that in case
OF aggression on Japan's recognized
territorial rights in the East, Great
Britain would sustain her Now. what
grown man, outside a lunatic dreams
that we have such Il hunger for more
land that we are going to cross the
Pacific and try to rob. one of our oldest
and tru,s st friends in the Far East
The very land we introduced to the
Western world and to which we GER
tainly tried To be useful in helping to
bring the lamentable struggle 10 .
close
You are right. no doubt. to blame the
sensational press for its unpatriotic
cagcrness to make dirty ha!f-pennies by
inventing and spreading this mischievous
folly. But l beg Of you, be Just and
blame still more that section of the
American people, inconsiderable il infiu-
cnce. and I must think not considerable
in number, who appear still 50 provin-
cial. CrcdulOus and so careless to
Eulp down such stuff, open-mouthed. like
half grown backwoods fv-gobblers and
really seem to relish 1t.
We do have a little list of other mat
tors unadjusted between our Two coun-
tries. They relate chiefly to Canada.
Peoples who have large interests along
3oO0 miles Of frontier as well rs around
the globe must constantly have out
standing Questions. But We rely upon
the fairness of our Canadian friends,
headed by the accomplished statesman
whose services they enjoy as premier, Sir
Wilfred Iaurier. to get most of them
equit ably adjusted between ourselves