The Detroit times., 1909-02-27
ROOT IS GREAT Man,
!. SAYS TAFT IN HIS
SPEECH IN n. Y.
NEW YORKER STANDS UP WITH
ALL GREAT STATESMEN WHO
EVER ADORNED sENArE-Roor'
RAPs LIMOGES.

l
NEW YORK. Feb. 27.--President-
elect Taft. Gov. Hughes, Elihu Root.
Joseph Choate and the ambassadors
OF three nations-Bryce, of Great Bril-
tain; Takahira, of Japan, and Nabuco.
OF Brazi-were the speakers at ban
quet given last night To Mr.. Root.
President-elect Taft delivered touch
ing tribute 10 the fine qualities that
make Mr.. Root one OF the great states
men OF the time" and Mr.. Root re-
sponded with a plea for worlds peace
and denunciation of the jingoes who
want war. The other speakers deliver
cd addresses lauding Mr.. Roots ability
as a statesman.
"The first thing l want to say" In
an apologize tone. begin Taft. IL
that Elihu Root ought to be presidents
elect, and as prospective member Of
! his cabinet, because | know how TO
serve under him.
IF there be a man with profound
er knowledge OF the law, with clear
er understanding OF human nature and
of human Justice, and with greater
power OF putting himself In the posi-
ton OF the man whom he has to advise
than Elihu Root, | don't know him.
1.-The pleasure. the honor. OF having
served the country in association with
Elihu Root and Theodore Roosevelt
continue to be the great honor have
ever enjoyed.
I'VE organized society In the cab
met. There were Athos and Porthos
and AArtagnan, and Aramis. NY
friend was Athos. Who A'Artagnan
was. leave you to guess. Porthos.
| only have to introduce to you. and
Aramis | am not going to betray, b.
cause OF his love affairs with duchess
es. But instance that to show the
spirit OF fellowship there was In that
company, and the Willingness OF each
man to serve under the other as his
chief with the consciousness on the
part of each that the service would bo
loyalty unto death.
From the first of my association
with Mr.. Root. there was impressed
upon me that poise. that sense OF pro
portion. that farsightedness, that abtl-
ity TO look forward, TO anticipate what
would happen in human events with
reference TO what ought now to ~
provided In the law, that makes The
statesman. "a ~ "a
I subsequently It fell to nay lee -
be invited into far distant country,
. where II had not gone, | should MOI
be here. And I owe the fact that !
went there to the clear and forciblo
advice of the guest Of the evening"
who pointed out to me that as between
the course that involved risk. pioneer
ing and doubt and that which was
comparatively easy, IL was the duty Of
a man who believed himself strong
enough to take the rougher course to
do SO.
People like men with good red
blood In them and that Is one OF the
qualities of this statesman.
| am delighted TO be able to be
here to testify to the debt OF personal
obligation ! feel TO Elihu Root. l con-
graduate the people or the state OF
New York, for II is true that Elihu
Root Is able TO stand up with all the
great senators from all the states who
have ever adorned the membership OF
that great body
Root dwelt ON the causes that led
TO war and said:
II agree that there Is no inconsist.
ency between the work OF secretary
of war and that of secretary or
peace, because so long as selfishness
and greed and Willingness and the
brutality to do injustice continue, We
must have the policeman. The inter
national policeman whose presence
makes the use OF his club unnecessary
is the army and the navy.
1T rests with the army and navy
TO make aggression and injustice I'M
profitable and unattractive."
The great obstacle TO the doing Of
things which make for peace has been
not the wish OF the diplomatist. not
the policy OF the government. but the
. inconsiderate and thoughtless unwili-
ingness OF the great body OF the peo-
pie OF the respective countries 70
stand behind the man who was willing.
for the sake OF peace and justice. 70
make fair concessions.
WAR comes today as the result
either of actual or threatened wrong
: or as the result OF a suspicion by one
q. country { another intends 10 do ~
, wrong. or from bitterness OF feeling,
dependent In no degree upon substan-
: tial questions OF difference. The least
of these three causes of war IL 40
tual injustice.
Injury TO Japan.
ain this country OF ours, we are far
from being guilty Of all those great
, causes OF war. The gentlemen who
introduced into the legislatures OF Cali
. fornia, Montana and Nevada, the legis'
lation regarding the treatment OF the
. Japanese in those states doubtless had
, no conception OF the fact that they
! were doing TO that great nation or
gentlemen. Of soldiers. of scholars and
scicntists. OF statesmen, nation
: worthy OF challenging and receiving
the respect. the honor and the homasc
OF mankind. an injury by an insult that
would bring on private war In any
private relation i'm our own country.
Thank heaven. the wiser heads an0
the sounder hearts prevailed and over