Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-04
Declares Greater Nations Ought
Exercise Peaceful Influence.
Tells Of Burdens, Horrors and
Losses Of Wars We've Passed.
Some Of couniry's Most Prominent
Men on Platform with President.

Baltimore. Md. May S.-President
Taft in his speech at the opening of
the third National Peace Conference
here today, declared that the United
States would keep hands off and not
seek to extend its domain or to acquire
foreign territory. The President made
no mention specifically of Mexico, but
to those who heard him, it was evil
dent that the troubled situation there
and the suspicion in the South Ameri-
can Republics as to the intention OF
this nation, in regard to it's southern
neighbors had inspired him. The Pres
ident had been speaking of the recur-
renee of International disturbances In
countries not so able as the United
States to maintain order and peace and
had said that it was incumbent upon
the great nations of This hemisphere
to exercise their kindly and peaceful
influence as much as possible"
"One of the difficulties that the Unit
ed states finds is the natural suspicion
that the countries engaged have of the
motives which the United States has
in rendering it's good Offices" contin-
ued the President. observation of good
faith helps but little where the sus-
picion is real and yet l like to avail
myself of an opportunity in such pres
enee as this to assert that there is not
in the whole length and breadth of the
United States among its people any de-
sire for territorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT and
that its people as a whole will not per-
nit it's government if it would, to take
any steps in respect to foreign peoples.
looking to a forcible extension of our
political power.
1--WE have had wars and we know
what they are. We know what re-
sponsibilities they entail, the burdens
and losses and horrors, and we would
have none of them. We have a mag
niffcent domain of cur own in which
we are attempting to work out and
show to the world success in popular
government. and we need no more
territory in which to show this. But
we have attained great property and
great power. We have become pow
erful member of the community of
nations in which we live and there is
therefore, thrust upon us necessarily
a care and responsibility for the
peace of the world in our neighbor
hood, and burden of helping those
nations that cannot help themselves.
if we may do that peacefully and eff
fectively."
The President spoke to several thou
sand persons in the Lyric Theatre.
Cardinal Gibbons, Secretary of War
Dickinson Senator Gore Of Oklaho-
ma, Andrew Carnegie and more than
a dozen men prominent in the move
ment for world peace sat OF the plat
form with the President Cardinal
Gibbons and Hamilton Holt, presi-
ident of the conference, who spoke
before the President voiced the opin-
ion that the negotiations of the pro-
posed arbitration treaty between the
United States and Great Britain would
mark the greatest step toward uni
versal peace that the world had ever
seen.
IAN arbitration between two great ma
tions of the world" said the President,
would be very important step in se-
curing the peace of the world. I don't
claim any patent for a new discovery in
that suggestion. because I have no doubt
that 1t has often been made before. nc
such an arbitration treaty can be con-
cluded 1 have no doubt that an important
step will have been taken, but it will not
bring an end of war 1t is step only.
and We must hot defeat our purpose by
charging the expectation of the world
as to what is to happen. and py them
disappointing 1t. We must realize that
we are dealing with world that Is faii-
Bile and full OF weakness with somewhat
of wickedness In 1t, and that reforms that
are worth having are brought about Iittls
by little and not by one blow. / think
that we are likely to make more progress
II we express our hope with moderation
and realize the difficulties that are to bs
overcome, than If we proclaim that we
have opened the gate TO eternal peace
with one key and within one year"
The President was particularly Interest,"
ed in speech by DR.. ]. A. Macdonald,
editor of the Toronto, Canada, Globe. a
warm advocate of reciprocity. If that
Continued on Page Twelve.)