The San Francisco call., 1908-05-08

% should be holiday in respect to the
memory of George Washington.
And / say to you that Secretary
Root, the greatest secretary Of state
that this country has ever had, is due
the credit for bringing the people of
the South American republics in touch
with the United States. Through his
the feet, friendliness and confidence
that will endure as long as the repub-
lies themselves endure has grown. We
are not warlike nation; we do not
push others down to pull ourselves up,
but we are now one of the powers.
There is no danger of an attack by
land because no nation of the globe
could for a moment obtain a footing
on our soil. An attack. if there is any,
will be from the sea, and it is due to
ourselves to be prepared.
CAN ASSEMBLE ARMY
I'VE can assemble n a week /. .0O0, 900
fighting men, but 1t takes time to build
warships, to manufacture ammunition
and provide bases of supplies.
"a well equipped navy is the surest
guarantee of peace. Diplomacy Is all
right In it's place, but diplomacy backed
up by a feet is the best thing in the
world to keep peace. Until the nations
of the world agree on an International
court it would be the height of folly
for a great nation like the United
States to lay Itself open to attack.
What we want is a navy, not for con-
quest, but for protection. The best way
to obtain permanent peace is by always
being ready for war. And we should
have navy that is commensurate with
the size and dignity of our country.
1T is absolutely impossible to defend
our immense seacoast solely with for
tiications. And we have not ourselves
alone to protect, for the people of our
island possessions look to us for pro-
lection.
when the Panama canal is COM
pleted it will be comparatively easy
to send our feet from ocean to ocean.
but until it is completed we cannot
separate our fleet. The time will sure
ly come when greater fleet will be
maintained on the Pacific ocean than
in the Atlantic ocean. but we must
first prepare for the coming of these
ships. There is absolutely no danger
of war at the present time. We are
at peace and on friendly terms with
all the powers. But If war does come,
which God forbid, we want TO be ready
to strike hard and through the navy
Admiral Thomas was them introduced
and delivered his speech in rugged.
bluff style. never flying to flights of
fancy or wasting his words.
ADMIRAL THOMAS SPEECH
Judging from the evidence yester-
day and today" said he, "the welcome
to the Atlantic feet comes not alone
from those gathered here, but from
every man, woman and child in San
Francisco. I desire to return thanks
on the part of our commander. who is
unable TO DE present. We had hoped
from the bottom of our hearts to bring
him through the Golden gate in active
command, and we did it."
He then described the emotions of
the fleet while awaiting Evans on the
Connecticut at Santa Cruz.
I'VE knew before long that he was
on board" he said. did a ship fall be-
hind there Immediately came the signal
J to close up, and did it swerve either to
port or starboard the order would come
for it TO form exact column. We all
felt the master mind was on deck He
/ is now about to close his active service.
and I here wish to say that he has met
every call OF his country and made
good. When the unfortunate day comes
for him to join the great majority he
will leave behind him a glorious herit-
age in his good name. which. think,
is greater than all the wealth a man
can accumulate
GIVES EVANS WARNING
IF he was here tonight he would
warn you of one thing and. speaking
for him. I will deliver the warming /
warn you against indifference. 1t
/ breeds ignorance and brings about a
contempt of power. The tine was
when the middle west was distinctly
antagonistic to the enlargement and
needs of the navy This antagonism
has passed away, but the enthusiasm
is lacking and / would like to have
every man here in Ssa Francisco and
along the Pacific seaboard write to
the friends in the interior, explain
| ing the conditions.
I'VE should train to have larger