Thearrangementwemadeworkedadmirably，andentirelyachieveditspurpose。NosmallpartofoursuccesswasduetothefactthatwesucceededinimpressingontheJapanesethatwesincerelyadmiredandrespectedthem，anddesiredtotreatthemwiththeutmostconsideration。Icannottoostronglyexpressmyindignationwith，andabhorrenceof，recklesspublicwritersandspeakerswho，withcoarseandvulgarinsolence，insulttheJapanesepeopleandtherebydothegreatestwrongnotonlytoJapanbuttotheirowncountry。
Suchconductrepresentsthatnadirofunderbreedingandfolly。TheJapaneseareoneofthegreatnationsoftheworld，entitledtostand，andstanding，onafootingoffullequalitywithanynationofEuropeorAmerica。Ihavetheheartiestadmirationforthem。Theycanteachusmuch。Theircivilizationisinsomerespectshigherthanourown。
ItiseminentlyundesirablethatJapaneseandAmericansshouldattempttolivetogetherinmasses；anysuchattemptwouldbesuretoresultdisastrously，andthefar-seeingstatesmenofbothcountriesshouldjointopreventit。
Butthisisnotbecauseeithernationisinferiortotheother；itisbecausetheyaredifferent。Thetwopeoplesrepresenttwocivilizationswhich，althoughinmanyrespectsequallyhigh，aresototallydistinctintheirpasthistorythatitisidletoexpectinoneortwogenerationstoovercomethisdifference。Onecivilizationisasoldastheother；andinneithercaseisthelineofculturaldescentcoincidentwiththatofethnicdescent。UnquestionablytheancestorsofthegreatmajoritybothofthemodernAmericansandthemodernJapanesewerebarbariansinthatremotepastwhichsawtheoriginsoftheculturedpeoplestowhichtheAmericansandtheJapaneseofto-dayseverallytracetheircivilizations。Butthelinesofdevelopmentofthesetwocivilizations，oftheOrientandtheOccident，havebeenseparateanddivergentsincethousandsofyearsbeforetheChristianera；certainlysincethathoaryeldinwhichtheAkkadianpredecessorsoftheChaldeanSemitesheldswayinMesopotamia。Anefforttomixtogether，outofhand，thepeoplesrepresentingtheculminatingpointsoftwosuchlinesofdivergentculturaldevelopmentwouldbefraughtwithperil；andthis，Irepeat，becausethetwoaredifferent，notbecauseeitherisinferiortotheother。Wisestatesmen，lookingtothefuture，willforthepresentendeavortokeepthetwonationsfrommasscontactandintermingling，preciselybecausetheywishtokeepeachinrelationsofpermanentgoodwillandfriendshipwiththeother。
ExactlywhatwasdoneintheparticularcrisistowhichIreferisshowninthefollowingletterwhich，afterourpolicyhadbeensuccessfullyputintoexecution，IsenttothethenSpeakeroftheCalifornialowerhouseoftheLegislature：
THEWHITEHOUSE，WASHINGTON，February8，1909。
HONP。A。STANTON，SpeakeroftheAssembly，Sacramento，California：
ItrusttherewillbenomisunderstandingoftheFederalGovernment’sattitude。WearejealouslyendeavoringtoguardtheinterestsofCaliforniaandoftheentireWestinaccordancewiththedesiresofourWesternpeople。ByfriendlyagreementwithJapan，wearenowcarryingoutapolicywhich，whilemeetingtheinterestsanddesiresofthePacificslope，isyetcompatible，notmerelywithmutualself-respect，butwithmutualesteemandadmirationbetweentheAmericansandJapanese。TheJapaneseGovernmentisloyallyandingoodfaithdoingitsparttocarryoutthispolicy，preciselyastheAmericanGovernmentisdoing。
Thepolicyaimsatmutualityofobligationandbehavior。InaccordancewithitthepurposeisthattheJapaneseshallcomehereexactlyasAmericansgotoJapan，whichisineffectthattravelers，students，personsengagedininternationalbusiness，menwhosojournforpleasureorstudy，andthelike，shallhavethefreestaccessfromonecountrytotheother，andshallbesureofthebesttreatment，butthatthereshallbenosettlementinmassbythepeopleofeithercountryintheother。DuringthelastsixmonthsunderthispolicymoreJapanesehaveleftthecountrythanhavecomein，andthetotalnumberintheUnitedStateshasdiminishedbyovertwothousand。Thesefiguresareabsolutelyaccurateandcannotbeimpeached。Inotherwords，ifthepresentpolicyisconsistentlyfollowedandworksaswellinthefutureasitisnowworking，alldifficultiesandcausesoffrictionwilldisappear，whileatthesametimeeachnationwillretainitsself-respectandthegoodwilloftheother。Butsuchabillasthisschoolbillaccomplishesliterallynothingwhateverinthelineoftheobjectaimedat，andgivesjustandgravecauseforirritation；whileinadditiontheUnitedStatesGovernmentwouldbeobligedimmediatelytotakeactionintheFederalcourtstotestsuchlegislation，asweholdittobeclearlyaviolationofthetreaty。OnthispointIreferyoutothenumerousdecisionsoftheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtinregardtoStatelawswhichviolatetreatyobligationsoftheUnitedStates。Thelegislationwouldaccomplishnothingbeneficialandwouldcertainlycausesomemischief，andmightcauseverygravemischief。Inshort，thepolicyoftheAdministrationistocombinethemaximumofefficiencyinachievingtherealobjectwhichthepeopleofthePacificSlopehaveatheart，withtheminimumoffrictionandtrouble，whilethemisguidedmenwhoadvocatesuchactionasthisagainstwhichIprotestarefollowingapolicywhichcombinestheveryminimumofefficiencywiththemaximumofinsult，andwhich，whiletotallyfailingtoachieveanyrealresultforgood，yetmightaccomplishaninfinityofharm。IfinthenextyearortwotheactionoftheFederalGovernmentfailstoachievewhatitisnowachieving，thenthroughthefurtheractionofthePresidentandCongressitcanbemadeentirelyefficient。IamsurethatthesoundjudgmentofthepeopleofCaliforniawillsupportyou，Mr。
Speaker，inyoureffort。LetmerepeatthatatpresentweareactuallydoingtheverythingwhichthepeopleofCaliforniawishtobedone，andtoupsetthearrangementunderwhichthisisbeingdonecannotdogoodandmaydogreatharm。Ifinthenextyearortwothefiguresofimmigrationprovethatthearrangementwhichhasworkedsosuccessfullyduringthelastsixmonthsisnolongerworkingsuccessfully，thentherewouldbegroundforgrievanceandforthereversalbytheNationalGovernmentofitspresentpolicy。
Butatpresentthepolicyisworkingwell，anduntilitworksbadlyitwouldbeagravemisfortunetochangeit，andwhenchangeditcanonlybechangedeffectivelybytheNationalGovernment。
THEODOREROOSEVELT。
InforeignanddomesticaffairsalikethepolicypursuedduringmyAdministrationwassimple。InforeignaffairstheprinciplefromwhichweneverdeviatedwastohavetheNationbehavetowardothernationspreciselyasastrong，honorable，anduprightmanbehavesindealingwithhisfellow-men。Thereisnosuchthingasinternationallawinthesensethatthereismunicipallaworlawwithinanation。Withinthenationthereisalwaysajudge，andapolicemanwhostandsbackofthejudge。Thewholesystemoflawdependsfirstuponthefactthatthereisajudgecompetenttopassjudgment，andseconduponthefactthatthereissomecompetentofficerwhosedutyitistocarryoutthisjudgment，byforceifnecessary。Ininternationallawthereisnojudge，unlessthepartiesininterestagreethatoneshallbeconstituted；andthereisnopolicemantocarryoutthejudge’sorders。Inconsequence，asyeteachnationmustdependuponitselfforitsownprotection。ThefrightfulcalamitiesthathavebefallenChina，solelybecauseshehashadnopowerofself-defense，oughttomakeitinexcusableinanywiseAmericancitizentopretendtopatrioticpurpose，andyettofailtoinsistthattheUnitedStatesshallkeepinaconditionofabilityifnecessarytoassertitsrightswithastronghand。ItisfollyofthecriminaltypefortheNationnottokeepupitsnavy，nottofortifyitsvitalstrategicpoints，andnottoprovideanadequatearmyforitsneeds。Ontheotherhand，itiswickedfortheNationtofailineitherjustice，courtesy，orconsiderationwhendealingwithanyotherpower，bigorlittle。JohnHaywasSecretaryofStatewhenIbecamePresident，andcontinuedtoserveundermeuntilhisdeath，andhisandmyviewsastotheattitudethattheNationshouldtakeinforeignaffairswereidentical，bothasregardsourdutytobeabletoprotectourselvesagainstthestrongandasregardsourdutyalwaystoactnotonlyjustlybutgenerouslytowardtheweak。
JohnHaywasoneofthemostdelightfulofcompanions，oneofthemostcharmingofallmenofcultivationandaction。Ourviewsonforeignaffairscoincidedabsolutely；but，aswasnaturalenough，indomesticmattershefeltmuchmoreconservativethanhedidinthedayswhenasayoungmanhewasprivatesecretarytothegreatradicaldemocraticleaderofthe’60’s，AbrahamLincoln。Hewasfondofjestingwithmeaboutmysupposedlydangeroustendenciesinfavoroflaboragainstcapital。WhenIwasinauguratedonMarch4，1905，Iworearinghesentmetheeveningbefore，containingthehairofAbrahamLincoln。
ThisringwasonmyfingerwhentheChiefJusticeadministeredtometheoathofallegiancetotheUnitedStates；IoftenthereaftertoldJohnHaythatwhenIworesucharingonsuchanoccasionIboundmyselfmorethanevertotreattheConstitution，afterthemannerofAbrahamLincoln，asadocumentwhichputhumanrightsabovepropertyrightswhenthetwoconflicted。ThelastChristmasJohnHaywasalivehesentmethemanuscriptofaNorsesagabyWilliamMorris，withthefollowingnote：
ChristmasEve，1904。
DEARTHEODORE：InyourqualityofVikingthisNorsesagashouldbelongtoyou，andinyourcharacterofEnemyofPropertythisMs。
ofWilliamMorriswillappealtoyou。WishingyouaMerryChristmasandmanyhappyyears，Iamyoursaffectionately，JOHNHAY。
IninternalaffairsIcannotsaythatIenteredthePresidencywithanydeliberatelyplannedandfar-reachingschemeofsocialbetterment。
Ihad，however，certainstrongconvictions；andIwasonthelookoutforeveryopportunityofrealizingthoseconvictions。IwasbentuponmakingtheGovernmentthemostefficientpossibleinstrumentinhelpingthepeopleoftheUnitedStatestobetterthemselvesineveryway，politically，socially，andindustrially。Ibelievedwithallmyheartinrealandthoroughgoingdemocracy，andIwishedtomakethisdemocracyindustrialaswellaspolitical，althoughIhadonlypartiallyformulatedthemethodsIbelievedweshouldfollow。I
believedinthepeople’srights，andthereforeinNationalrightsandStates’rightsjustexactlytothedegreeinwhichtheyseverallysecuredpopularrights。IbelievedininvokingtheNationalpowerwithabsolutefreedomforeveryNationalneed；andIbelievedthattheConstitutionshouldbetreatedasthegreatestdocumenteverdevisedbythewitofmantoaidapeopleinexercisingeverypowernecessaryforitsownbetterment，andnotasastraitjacketcunninglyfashionedtostranglegrowth。Asfortheparticularmethodsofrealizingthesevariousbeliefs，Iwascontenttowaitandseewhatmethodmightbenecessaryineachgivencaseasitarose；andIwascertainthatthecaseswouldarisefastenough。
AsthetimeforthePresidentialnominationof1904drewnear，itbecameevidentthatIwasstrongwiththerankandfileoftheparty，butthattherewasmuchoppositiontomeamongmanyofthebigpoliticalleaders，andespeciallyamongmanyoftheWallStreetmen。A
groupofthesemenmetinconferencetoorganizethisopposition。Itwastobedonewithcompletesecrecy。Butsuchsecretsareveryhardtokeep。Ispeedilyknewallaboutit，andtookmymeasuresaccordingly。Thebigmeninquestion，whopossessedmuchpowersolongastheycouldworkundercover，orsolongastheyweremerelythrowingtheirweightonewayortheotherbetweenforcesfairlyevenlybalanced，werequitehelplesswhenfightingintheopenbythemselves。Ineverfoundoutthatanythingpracticalwasevenattemptedbymostofthemenwhotookpartintheconference。Threeorfourofthem，however，didattemptsomething。TheheadofonebigbusinesscorporationattemptedtostartanefforttocontrolthedelegationsfromNewJersey，NorthCarolina，andcertainGulfStatesagainstme。TheheadofagreatrailwaysystemmadepreparationsforamoreambitiouseffortlookingtowardsthecontrolofthedelegationsfromIowa，Kansas，Nebraska，Colorado，andCaliforniaagainstme。Hewasaverypowerfulmanfinancially，buthispowerpoliticallywasmuchmorelimited，andhedidnotreallyunderstandhisownlimitationsorthesituationitself，whereasIdid。HecouldnothavesecuredadelegateagainstmefromIowa，Nebraska，orKansas。InColoradoandCaliforniahecouldhavemadeafight，buteventhereI
thinkhewouldhavebeencompletelybeaten。However，longbeforethetimefortheConventioncamearound，itwasrecognizedthatitwashopelesstomakeanyoppositiontomynomination。Theeffortwasabandoned，andIwasnominatedunanimously。JudgeParkerwasnominatedbytheDemocratsagainstme。Practicallyallthemetropolitannewspapersoflargestcirculationwereagainstme；inNewYorkCityfifteenoutofeverysixteencopiesofpapersissuedwerehostiletome。Iwonbyapopularmajorityofabouttwomillionandahalf，andintheelectoralcollegecarried330votesagainst136。ItwasbyfarthelargestpopularmajorityeverhithertogivenanyPresidentialcandidate。
