The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-14
TAFT ARRIVES AT
 SAN FRANCISCO Hearty Welcome Accorded
 Chief Executive SPEAKS ON TREATIES
Governor Johnson Is Entirely With out nthusiasm-Refuses to At tend Banauet Rendered Taft.
 Crowd Not Demonstratiye

San Francisco, October 13.-Presidens Taft found what may prove to be the heartiest welcome of his trip awaiting him here tonight He spent the entire day in the state travelling down Nevada | border. where Governor Johnson and a party of officials met him.
 Governor Johnson is the insurgent ,e- publican leader in the state. He used but few words and invariably referred to MT. | Taft as the President of the United States" At the state capitol, Sacramen- 1 to, Mr. Taft spent two hours. | Governor Johnson did not attend the ! banquet in honor of the President tonight, pleading previous engagement, but Will speak with him tomorrow at the ground breaking ceremonies of the Panama-P Pa
 ciflc International exposition. Acceptance by President Taft of an invitation to turn spadeful of earth at the ceremonies was one of the definite engagements winch led to the t3.0oo mile tour. Throusnout the day great throngs turned out to greet the President.
 Governor Johnson said the crowds on the streets of Sacramento were the larg- est he had ever seen.
 The street throng was not demonstri- tice but the several thousand persons who listened to the Presidents speech constantly interrupted him with applause. MT. Taft will remain here until Sunday night.
 Arrives Late
 It was after dark when Mir Taft set | foot in San Francisco and the ferry | 4l.p., lf ct, at IVsaC were outlined in electric bulbs in his hon or. As he passed up Market street cheer ing thousands lined the thoroughfare all the way to the Press club, where he at- tended reception before going to his ho- tel. A formal banquet was the event of tine night
 Advocating proposed treaties with Mica ragua and Honduras and vigorously de- lending the policy of the administration, wbich, he said, "muck raking journals, ]"
 have labelled dollar diplomacy" Presi- dent Taft delivered his first important speech in California today. ss ss. Broadly speaking, MT. Taft said the proposed treaties with these countries be- fore the Senate would secure for them a financial agent in the United States who would settle their existing debts on a just basis and would point the road To peace and prosperity to two countries
 
 strife and revolution.
 MT Taft pointed out the efficacy of q similar arrangement with Santo Donin- go whereby this government collects the customs and sees that foreign debts are paid exercising benef1cient supervision that MT Taft said has accrued to the up- building of Santo Domingo.
 Objection to the treaty in the Senate, the President said, was based largely upon the proposition that they would make entangling alliances with represen- tatives in this hemisphere for the promo tion of a banking contract, since the money for the payment for the debts of the two republics would be furnished by American interests.
 Mir. Taft said in part:
 "The subject. of the ratification of treaties by the Senate Is frequently con- fldential, and that prevents public dis ousison of the pros and cons which might sometimes be useful. Treaties are much less the subject of public consideration than are statutes, and yet when ratified they are as binding upon all of us as statutes. because by the constitution they become the law of the land. In this re- spect they differ from treaties of other governments, which are only interna- tional contracts. Sometimes the Senate removes the injunction of secrecy from teraties and the discussion of their mer- it's. It is to certain treaties which I have submitted to the Senate, and which that body has now published and laid before you for consideration and discus sion, that l call your attention tonight. They are the treaties l made with the republic of Honduras and the republic of Nicaragua, for the purpose of securing loan to each of these Central American republics.
 'The craving for some effective means If mt inp mi Ich out of actual war as out of the des- perat tion with which the great nations are increasing the stupendous burden of armies and armament, making Europe an armed camp, with the growing menace of bankruptcy.
 ''The fact is that we have had very little war in the last 25 years and one of the reasons has been the rivalry in preparation for war and the certainty of financial disaster to some nations which must follow.
 Professional RevolutiOnists
 There are countries where the occu- patton of revolutionist has become profession and the unhappy common peo- pie of such a country have no time for peaceful pursuits, and perforce are driven into guerilla warfare for mere self-pro- lection Starvation succeeds plenty in countries as productive as any in the world. The institutions or CIVIL liberty, IT they ever were inaugurated under high sounding constitution, cease to exist, revo- lutIons follow each other in rapid sue cessiop. the finances of the government are in hopeless confusion, and it is a stretch of the imagination to call what little authority remains government at all. Such has been the fate of some of the Central American republics. Hondu- ras and Nicara qua are now the two coun- tries most exposed to these internal dis sensions. t
 .In Honduras there have been seven revolutions in 15 years. It's territory reaches from ocean to ocean, and lts neutrality is rarely preserved when It's neishbors are at war. These conditions necessitate the keeping up at great ex- pense, of its army.
 Our experience with Santo Domingo, once q volcano of revolution constantly Ill eruption, suggests possible and praeyiea- be method of meeting the same diHic'- ties that are presented to these Centrai American countries. A study of the 'evp- lutions show that their first object is the seizure of the customs houses throu,sn which import taxes are collected. The costums houses are the only source of revenue at such times. and provide the sinews of war for the professional revolu- tionist A
 By very fortunate arrangement. un- der an order of President Roosevelt with the consent of Santo Domingo and ur- der an arrangement with the bond holds