The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-07
TOO MUCH ron THE COLONEL.

1oO MUCH FOR THE COLONEL.
President Taft has returned TO
Washington from his visit to Indian
apolis. not much the worse for wear.
Indeed the newspapers report that,
while Archie Butt and the secret SER
vice men and the stenogra piers and
other members of the troupe seemed
TO hc all tuckered out, the President
himself was as bright and fresh as a
May morning when he got back to
Washington. Brother Horace com
plains that the President spons more
clothes in three months than he can
buy in three years. but that the Presi-
dent stands it pretty we'll"
MIR Taft made a number of very
excellent speeches while he was on
the Indianapolis circuit We have been
particularly impressed by his addresses
at the National Home for Disabled
Volunteer Soldiers in Marion the day
before the great celebration at IN
dianapolis. These speeches very prop
erly touched upon the question OF war,
or rather upon the question of peace,
and In concluding one of his addresses
no made very complete and satisfac-
tory answer to The Coloners recent
foolish speech at the Grant Monument,
in New York, in which he declared
himself 10 be for peace, even II he
had to fight for 1t. In MIR. Taft's opin-
ion three of the five wars in which
this country has been engaged could
is neither wild enthusiast nor u
blind optimlst He believes that while
arbitration treaties Will not avail every
time to prevent armed conflict between
nations that arbitration Will go a very
long way toward securing the peace of
the\world The War OF 1912 might have
been avoided by arbitration. The War
with Mexico could have been escaped
had the questions involved in that
struggle been submitted to an Impartial
tribunal The War with Spain would
doubtless have been nverted if the
issues involved had been submitted TO
The impartial Judgment of responsible
men, but the point in Mr.. Taf,'s speech
that has given 80 much pleasure
was his sufficient answer to the
rhodomontade of The colonel in these
words:
objection has been made that an
agreement TO arbitrate a question of
national honor ought not to be entered
INTO Tor the reason that when ones
hohor is affected. one Will never con
sent TO nave the question arbitrated.
ana therefore that to agree to do so
in advance is 10 agree to do something
mat one will not be willing TO do, and
mat one does not intend to do. and
therefore ii savors of hypocrisy, and
ought not to be adopted as a national
policy cannot concede tn PROMISES
OF this argument. l look upon n troat,,
OF this sort as self-denying ordi-
nance as a seIt-restricting obligation"
That seems TO dispose of what The
Colonel said. 1t will not appeal so
strongly 10 the mob. but ii will i'm
press all thinking people of the coun
try and make them rejoice that the
man now In the White House is keen
ing his head while many of those
about him are losing theirs.
The effect of Mr.. Tafts reasonable
and sincere advocacy OF the policy Of
arbitration in the settlement of national
disputes is reflected in the letter of
Pope Plus X to Diomedes Falconio IN.
Apostolic Delegate to the United
States. in which The Holy Father ex-
presses his pleasure that under the
leadership of men enjoying the high
est authority with the people, the
more judicious members of the com
munity are fervently DESTROYS of main
tanning the advantages Of international
peace. Any effort in the cause of
composing differences between nations.
OF restraining the outbreak of hostilt-
Ties OF preventing the dangers of war
OF removing even the anXieties of so
called armed peace" is regarded by the
Holy Father as most praisew orthy.
ana upon the peace lovers of the
United states and those who arc work
ing for the peace of the world among
all the nations the Pope calls down
the blessings of heaven.
Mr. Taft has done no better work
than that which he has devoted to the
cause of international arbitration. and
he mas not glorined his support of this
cause by any childish demonstration Of
his own disposition to fight The opcra
boume business does not appeal to his
better judgment
MEAN; BUT HAD TO DO TT.
The Commoner having exposed the
aniipathy of the Houston Post to the