The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-14
ROOSEVELT FAV0RS FORTIFIED CANAL Address Before Dallas Bus
 mess Men TALKS ON CITIZENSHIP No Political Significance Yet Seen in Colonel's Thank You" Tour
 on Which He Addresses
 Many Thousands
TALKS ON CITIZENSHIP
,.............................

Dallas. Tex. March 1S.-"Failure to fortify the Panama canal would be an act of criminal folly" declared Theodore Roosevelt tonight, addressing the banquet in his honor by the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. He said that only two treaties relative to the canal existed those with England and Panama, and any other na- tion would be at liberty to destroy it in case of war.
 Colonel Roosevelt's utterances came late in the night at the close of long din ner. He was the last speaker on the programme and was introduced by Col. w R. Sterrett of this city, who presented the former President as man who be- lieved in peace to the extent of fight ing for 1t.
 Colonel Roosevelt first related humor- ous tale or two of the Texas idea "l peace Then he plunged into the sub feet of the fortification of the canal, say ing that during his trip through Europe he had found that only two things done in the past 10 or 20 years by the united States had attracted more than passing attention, the building of the canal and the voyage around the world of the bat tleship fleet.
 q am particularly pleased that we have decided to fortify the Panama ca nal beacuse failure to do so would have been an act not merely of folly, but or criminal folly on our part and that not because fear war, but because want peace People ask me now and then DO you anticipate war, and if not why do you want to fortify the canal? To which have always answer ed. I don't antici- pate that. my house will burn down, but I have insured it.'
 And I want to call your attention 10 this fact: Our treaties about the Fan ana canal were only with England ana Panama. In the treaty with Panama Ne expressly reserved the right to fortlry the canal. The treaty with England was made while was President. I declined to submit it to the Senate until nal seen the written statements from the British minister of foreign affairs and the British ambassador that recognized our right to fortify the canal.
 And now let me point out this 1act' No other nation in the world has any treaty with us or is under any treaty ohIigations or under any obligations or
  the canal so that if ever we unfortun- ately become engaged in war with any nation whatsoever aside from Great Britain or Panama. that nation would have the absolute right, legal and moral to seize the. Panama canal. No other nation is under any obligations at all to re spect the neutrality or tnat canal.
 If there Is any political signnicance at- taching to Colonel Rooseyelfs rare tha h0rderS, no SUE gestion of it's nature has been forthcom- ing m to the present time. The colonel arrived in Dallas tonight on time, 10 tho minute, with his fast schedule he was the guest of the business organiza- tions of the city at dinner and was re ceved by the citizens with the same enthusiasm that las marked every s'ep of his journey. He addressed the dinner guests on the same ideals of good clt- izenship with which he has dealt in ev- cry talk he has made on the tour and when he retired for the night had com pleted six days of his journey without having held a political conference or made single mention of political ques- tions of the day. f On the day of his departure from New York. Colonel Roosevelt said he was making his last extended speaking tour and was doing so in order to thank the people who had elected him to the pres idency. In no respect has he departed from his announced programme Beyond the "thanls you he has had no other subject than good citizenship on which he cared to talk.
 Colonel Roosevelt left Dallas tonight. his special train being parked some miles out of the city until early tomorrow when it will run to Fort Worth The early hours of the day will he spent in that city and before noon the train win start for Fl Paso which will be reached on Wednesday morning. No stops Of any length will be made between Fort Worth and Fl Paso.