New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-09-03
TWO GREAT FEATS
Of UNITED STATES
World Tour of Battleship Fleet
and Digging Of Canal.
DISCUSSED BY Mr.. ROOSEVELT
Speaking at Omaha, He Urges the
Necessity Of Efficient Navy and
Of Fortifying thu Panama
Waterway.

Omaha Neb., Sept. 2.-Theodore
Roosevelt arrived in Omaha from Kan
sas City at GAS o'clock this morning,
and early as was the hour, large
crowd was on hand, and so was the
reception committee under whose
care Colonel Roosevelt spent the day.
The address which the ex-president
delivered was heard by great throng
of people, 1t was as follows:
In travelling in Europe last spring one
thing which especially struck me was the
fact that the two feats which made the
deepest impression abroad were the cruise
Of the battle fleet around the world, ana
the digging Of the Panama Canal. THESE
were the two feats to be credited to the
American people during the past decade
which had most profoundly 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 what they actually 90;
upon their willingness to meet response
bilities, and the success of their efforts to
meet them.
Must Have Efficient Navy.
Now, there is no use Of a nation claim
ing to be a great nation unless II Is pre-
pared to play a great part. A nation
such as ours cannot possibly play great
part in International affairs. cannot ex-
poet to be treated as weight In either
the Atlantic or the Pacific or to have Its
voice as to the Monroe doctrine or the
management Of the Panama Canal. heed
ed unless 1t has a 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 extraordi-
nary progress in craftsmanship and ma
neuvering. So far from this increase In
naval strength representing on our part
either . menace OF aggression to weaker
nations or a menace Of war to stronger
nations, II has told most powerfully for
peace. Everywhere In Europe the cruise
of the battle fleet around the world was
accepted, not only as an extraordinary
feat rejecting the highest honor upon
our navy, but as one Of the movements
which tended markedly to promote peace
full stability in International relations No
nation regarded the cruise as fraught
with any menace Of hostility to itself;
and yet every nation accepted It as
proof that we were not only deslrous
ourselves to keep the peace, but able to
prevent the peace being broken at our
expense, No cruise In any way approach
ing 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 A. that we actually made could be
undertaken by fleet Of such size with
out innumerabie breakdowns and acci-
dents. The success Of the cruise, per-
formed as 1t was without q single acci-
dent. immeasurably raised the prestige.
not only Of our feet. but Of our Nation:
and was . distinct help to the cause Of
international peace.
As regards the Panama Canal, really
think that outside nations have Juster
idea than our own people of the magni-
tude and success Of the work wish
our people realized what Is being done on
the Isthmus. II a man Of intelligence
who had never left this country asked me
whether I would advise him to make q
short trip to Europe, or a trip to the
Panama Canal. would. without hesita-
tion, advise him to 20 to the Panama
Canal He would there see in operation
the completing Of one Of the great feats
Of modern times. Colonel Goethals and
the men working under him are render
ing q service to this country which can
only be paralleled in our past history by
some Of the services rendered in certain
wars.
Wonderful Work on the isthmus.
Six years ago last spring the Ameri-
can government took possession Of the
Isthmus. The first two years were de-
voted to the sanitation Of the Isthmus. 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
piagre-spots of the globe. one Of the
most unhealthy regions in the entire
world. the Isthmus has been turned into
q singularly healthy place of abode.
where the death-rate IL small and where
hundreds of children are now being
raised under as favorable conditions a.
in most parts Of the United States. The
quarters. food and water supply are ex-
ceilsnt and the plant the best ever gath
cred for such q purpose. Active excava-
ton on . large scale did not begin until
January. 1907. Three years and q half
have gone by since then, and three-fifths
OF the total excavation has already been
accomplished. The amount taken out hss
passed anything which previous expert
ence warranted US in believing to be pos
sibls. In 1903 and 1909 the monthly aver
age Of rock and earth removed was three
million cubic yards, Notwithstanding the
fact that nine months Of each year con-
stituted a season Of very heav rainfall.
There remains to be cxcavated only about
sixty million cubic yards. II We could
h>>v fh~ nast - 400. 90 xto,
sh,s .hr,,,a ~ Sor. ~ tr,an., sroa.S..
h,,t q Z. ,,rro..,Si. 81 a",nt.,. .,,.s
ss.,o :. ~. ssr,n ,rar.a.... 81 80.
nnt rsc.s..r,,v S,,n,n,.hs. :. ~. ala -
operation narrows. Still. II is certain that
n.h,. .ha a a.s ~sn =" :. c,naineu nu,na .s = VII
tion considerably in advance Of the date
hxed for opening the canal. January 1.
Isie. Indeed. l shall be surprised u the