Mexico Missouri message., 1910-06-09


while. II Is an evil and a dreadful thing
to be callous to sorrow and suffering ard
blind TO our duty to do all things possible
for the betterment OF social conditions.
But II is an unspeakably foolish thing TO
strive for this betterment by means 90
destructive that they would leave no 40
cial conditions to better. In dealing with
all these social problems, with the ind-
mate relations OF the family, with wealth
in private use and business use, with la
Dor. with poverty, the one prime neceB-
sity Is TO remember that, though hard
ness OF heart is a great evil. It is ne
greater an evil than softness Of head.
But in addition TO these problems the
most intimate ami important OF all
which to larger or less degree affect al
the modern nations somewhat alike, we
OF the great nations that have expanded,
that are now in complicated relations with
one another and with alien races, have
special problems and special duties OF our
own. You belong to nation which pos
sesses the greatest empire upon which tho
sun has ever shone. i belong to a nation
which Is trying, on scale hitherto unex-
ampled, TO work out the problems Of gov
eminent for, Of, and by the people. while
at the same time doing the international
duty OF a great power. But there are
certain problems which both Of us have
TO solve. and as to which our standards
should be the same. The Englishman, the
man Of the British isles, in his various
homes across the seas. and the Ameri-
can, both at home and abroad, are
brought into contact with utterly allen
peoples, some with civilization more an
Client than our own, others still in. or
having but recently arisen from, the bar
barism which our people left behind ages
ago. The problems that arise are Of we'll
nigh inconceivable difficulty. They cannot
be solved by the foolish sentimentality of
stay-at"home people, with little patent
recipes, and those cut-and-dried theories
OF the political nursery which have such
limited applicability amid the crash of
elemental forces. Neither can they, be
solved by the raw brutality OF the men
who, whether at home or on the rough
frontier of civilization, adopt might as
the only standard OF right in dealing with
other men, and treat allen races only as
subjects for exploitation.
No hard and fast rule can be drawn as
applying TO all allen races, because they
differ from one another far more wide
ly than some OF them differ from us. But
there are one or two rules which must
not be forgotten. In the long run, there
can be no justification for one race man
aging or controlling another unless the
management and control are exercised in
the Interest and for the benefit of that
other race. This is what our peoples
have in the main DONE and must con-
tinue in the future In even greater de-
ippines alike. IN the next place. as re-
CARDS every race, everywhere, at home
or abroad, we cannot afford to deviate
from the great rule OF righteousness
which bids us treat each man on his
worth as a man. He must not be senti-
mentally favored because he belongs to
given race; he must not be given inn
munity in wrong-doing or permitted to
cumber the ground. or given other privi-
leges which would be denied to the
vicious and unfit among themselves. On
the other hand, where he acts in a way
which would entitle him to respect and
reward If he were OF our own stock, he
Is just as much entitled to that respect
and reward II he comes of another
stock, even though that other stock pro-
duces a much smaller proportion of men
of his type than does our own. This has
nothing TO do with social intermlngling,
with what is called social equality. II
has to do merely with the question of do
ing to each man and each woman that
elementary justice which will permit him
or her to gain from life the reward
| which should always accompany thrift,
sobriety, self-control. respect for the
rights Of Others and hard and intelli-
| gent work to a given end. To more than
such Just treatment no man is entitled.
and less than such just treatment no man
should receive.
Duty Of Nation to Nation.
The other type of duty is the interna-
| tional duty, tie duty owed by one ma
ton to another. I hold that the laws OF
| morality which should govern indlvidu-
| ais In their dealings one with the other
are Just as binding concerning nations in
| their dealings one with the other. The
application of the moral law must be
different in the two cases, because In
| one case II has, and in the other It has
| not, the sanction Of a civil law with force
| hah TIA
his rights upon the courts, which them
selves derive their force from the police
| power of the state. The nation can de-
| pend upon nothing of the kind; and
therefore, as things are now, 1t is the
| highest duty OF the most advanced and
freest peoples to keep themselves in such
q state of readiness as to forbid to any
| barbarism or despotism the hope OF ar
resting TIM progress OF the world by stri-
| king down the nations that lead in that
| progress. 1t would be foolish indeed to
| pay heed to the unwise persons who de-
| sire disarmament to be begun by the
very peoples who. Of all others, should
| not be left helpless before any possible
| foe. But we must reprobate quite as
strongly both the leaders and the peoples
who prsctise, or encourage or condone,
| aggression and iniqulty by the strong at
| the expense of the weak. We should toll
! crate lawlessness and wickedness neither
by the weak nor by the strong; and both
weak and strong we should in return
| treat with scrupulous fairness. The for
eign policy of a great and self-respecting
country should be conducted on exactly
the same plane of honor. of insistence
| upon ones own rights and of respect for
| the rights Of others, as when a brave and
! honorable man Is dealing with his fell
lows. Permit me 10 support this state
ment out OF my own experience. For
nearly eight years was the head of q
great nation and charged especially with
the conduct of Its foreign policy; and
during those years took no action with
reference to any other people on the face
of the earth that / would not have felt
justified in taking as an individual IL
dealing with other individuals.
/ believe that We of the great civilized
nations of today have right to feel that
long careers Of achievement lie before
our several countries, To each of us II
vorchsafed the honorable privilege OF do
ing his part. however small, in that work
Let us strive hardly for success, even Il
by so doing we risk failure, spurninl
the poorer souls OF small endeavor who