The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-09-03
The following Is the address de-
livered last evening at Omaha, Neb.
by Col. Roosevelt.

SSASfS '1"e spsAAS Ouc luluS WHICH
especially struck me was the fact that
the two feats which made the deepest
impression abroad were the cruise OF
the battle neet around the world and
the digging OF the Panama canal.
These were the two tents to be
credited to the American people during
the past decade which had most pro-
foundly and favorably affected foreign
Judgment Of America during that time.
Such judgment depends not in the
least upon what people say they can
do. but on what they actually do
upon their willingness to meet re-
sponsibilities and the success Of their
efforts to meet them.
Now. there is no use Of a nation
claiming to be great nation unless 1t
Is prepared to play great part. A
nation such rs ours cannot possibly
play great part in international at
fairs. cannot expect to be treated as
| q weight In either the Atlantic or the
Pacific or to have its voice as to the
Of the Panama canal needed unless It
has q strong and thoroughly efficient
navy. Within the last decade the
American navy has been about trebled
In strength and much more than trebled
In efficiency. due to its extraordinary
progress In craftsmanship and maneu.
vering.
For . Big Navy.
So far from this increase in naval
strength representing on our part
either a menace of aggression to
weaker nations or a menace Of war to
stronger nations. 1t has told most
powerfully for peace. Everywhere In
Europe the cruise Of the battle feet
around the world was accepted not
only as an extraordinary feat reflect
ing the highest honor upon our navy.
but as one OF the movements which
tended markedly to promote peaceful
stability in international relations.
No nation regarded the cruise as
fraught with any menace of hostility
to itself. and yet every nation accepted
1t as proof that we were not only de-
sirous ourselves to keep the peace. but
able to prevent the peace being broken
at our expense. No cruise In any
way approaching it has ever been
made by any fleet Of any other power,
and the best naval opinion abroad had
been that no such feat was possible
that Is. that no such cruise as that we
actually made could be undertaken by
a feet Of such size without innumer-
able breakdowns and accidents.
The success Of the cruise. performed
as it was without single accident.
UNNECESSARILY raised the prestige not
only OF our feet. but OF our nation.
and was a distinct help to the cause
Of international peace.
Success Of Canal.
As regards the Panama cana. ]
really think that outside nations have
juster idea than our own people of
the magnitude and success Of the
work. wish our people realized what
is being done on the isthmus. II
man Of intelligence who had never
left this country asked me whether
would advise him to make a short trip
to Europe or a trip to the Panama
canal would without hesitation ad-
wise him TO 60 to the Panama canal.
He would there see in operation the
completing Of one Of the great fcats
Of modern times.
Colonel Goethals and the men work
Ing under him are rendering q service
to this country which can only be
paralleled in our past history by some
Of the services rendered in certain
wars.
Six years ago last spring the Amer
lean government took possession Of
the isthmus. The first two years were
devoted to the sanitation Of the 18TH
mus. to assembling the plant and
working force and providing quarters,
food and water supplies. In all these
points the success was extraordinary.
From one of the plague spots of the
globe. one OF the most unhealthy re-
gions in the entire world. the isthmus
has been turned into a singularly
healthy place OF abode. where the
death rate is small and where hun
dreds Of children are now being raised
under as favorable conditions as in
most parts Of the United States.
The quarters. food and water supply
are excellent and the plant the best
ever gathered for such purpose. Ac-
tive excavation on large scale did not
begin until January. 1907. Three years
and a half have gone by since then.
and three-ffths Of the total excava-
ton has already been accomplished
The amount taken out has passed any
thing which previous experience war
ranted us in believing to be possible.
In 1908 and 1909 the monthly aver
age of rock and earth removed was
100000 cubic yards notwithstand-
ing the fact thar nine months OF each
year constituted season Of very
heavy rainfall. There remain to be
excavated only about 6O.COO.OOO cubic
yards.
II VIZ could keep up the past aver,
age Of excavation this should be done
In twenty months. but 1t is impossible
to maintain such ratio rs the depth
increases. for tie output necessarily
diminishes as the field Of operation
narrows. Still. II is certain that such
a rate can be maintained as will enable
the workers TO finish the excavation
considerably in advance Of the date
fixed for opening the canal. Jan. l.
1915. Indeed. l shall be surprised If
the canal cannot be opened six months
or even year in advance OF the time