Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-05-03

ended his two-days stay in Pittsburg
with sneech at the Grant day din
ner of the Americus Club tonlght IN
which he dealt almost wholly WIN
the foreign affairs of the nation. The
President paid a striking tribute 10
the secretary of state, Mr.. Knox, VINO
was present He vigorously defended
and justified the secretary's Nlcara-
guam policy, fayed those who invented
the phrase dollar diplomacy with the
idea Of bringing contempt upon the
policy in which he said the nation is
citally interested, and concluded with
the declaration that the record OF the
state department during the first year
of the present administration was one
which he regards with the greatest
pride.
The Presidents praise of Secretary
Knox and his vigorous language in
dealing with the critics OF the state
department aroused the Americus Club
diners to high pitch of enthusiasm.
Mr.. Taft had an exceedingly busy
day and was pretty thoroughly tired
out when he retired on board his pri-
vate car tonight preparatory to leav-
ing at 2.3O A. NJ. for Cincinnati where
he IL due at 1925 A. NJ. tomorrow.
Count Won Bcrnstorff, the German am
bassador, who was in the Presidential
party throughout the day. left with
the President tonight for Cincinnati.
The Presidents day began with n
brief address to the students at the
Pennsylvania State College for Wo-
men. Mr.. Taft next made an address
at the Founders Day exercises at
Carnegie Institute, where he declared
that in the development Of the aesthet-
ic this nation has much to learn from
the older countries Of Europe.
After luncheon at the University
Club came the ball game between the
,Pttsburg and Chicago teams of the
National League, which the President
attended with Count Won Bernstorf
and Secretary Knox.
During his entire stay in Pittsburg,
President Taft was surrounded by
hundreds Of policemen and plain
clothes men. At the baseball game it
seemed as If half the spectators were
wearing blue coats and helmets
The President was the last speaker at
the banquet tonight Secretary Knox
and Count Won Bernstorff also were
Oliver of Pennsylvania was POSTMASTER
President Taft, in opening. lauded Sec
retary Of State Knox and stated his in
debtedness to the state of Pennsylvania.
to the city of Pittsburg and to the Amer
icus Club. for his services.
The President described the recent re-
organization OF the state department un-
der the direction of Secretary Knox He
referred also to the successful culmina-
ton Of all the recent negotiations under
the maximum and minimum provisions of
the new tariff law and continued:
1.-THE work has been done by Mr. Knox
and the state department. and has been
we'll done. We have succeeded in secur-
Ing from all countries substantially their
minimum tariff or If not their minimum
tariff in terms, such concessions as to be
equivalent to those benefits under the
minimum tariff denied u.s." The Presi-
dent referred particularly to the nego-
tations with Canada, and of these he
said:
ut Is the view of the administration
that the peculiar relations existing be-
tween Canada and the United States,
with a boundary line OF 5000 miles in ex-
tent between them. justifes a different
policy as to imports and exports between
the two countries from that which OBJ
tains In regard to European and Oriental
countries. and that If. by reciprocal ar
rangements we can make the CONNER
cial bond closer. it will be for the benefit
of both nations.
THE example set by the last admin
iStrQtinn Mr. Root "a tho Cf ha
state department, in cultivating good
relations with all the South American
and Central American republics has
been followed closely by Mr.. Knox
and the department under him. l say
this deliberately for the purpose of
meeting suggestions and criticisms and
there has been n departure from such
policy. and l venture to affirm that
never before in the history of the
country have our relations with South
American and Central American re-
publics been more friendly than they
are today.
"As confirmation of the friendly
relations which now exist between this
country and all of South America, Ar
gentina has placed her contracts for
TWO, battleships and certain additional
naval armament amounting in money
value In all to about $23,OO0,O00 and
there Is reason to believe that we shall
nave further contracts of a similar
sort placed in the United States by
other South American governments
Ine opportunity to get this business
was brought about directly by the un
tiring efforts Of the department of
state and this could not have been
achieved but for the re- organization of
the state department and by means Of
liberal appropriation of Congress and
the consequent energetic direction OF
the reformed consular service and this
diplomatic service, re-organized las,
:. year.
THE theory that the field of diplomac,
does not include In any degree commerce
and the increase of trade relations is on,
to which Mr. Knox and this adminstra
tion do not subscribe. We believe it t,