T CORRAL

In the name of my colleagues in the Mexican Cabinet and other national
functionaries, invited to this banquet, I thank you for this very
gracious distinction.

I consider myself very fortunate to address such a distinguished
gathering in these memorable moments, when the Mexican public offers its
hospitality to the honorable Secretary of State of the United States,
Mr. Elihu Root, one of the most eminent men in the world, both for his
wisdom and his political works, as a defender of the rights of nations,
and as the courageous knight of American democracy and universal peace.

It is very satisfactory for Mexico to demonstrate her sympathy to a
guest of such high merit; and I assure you, Mr. Ambassador, that his
visit to this country will create new and stronger bonds of durable
friendship between the two sister republics of North America, and will
be a new element of the highest value, in the mission of concord you
have accomplished with such great ability, and which is a profound cause
of satisfaction to us.

I thank you once more for your good wishes for Mexico and the President
of our republic; and, in my turn, I have the honor to invite all present
to raise their cups to the powerful nation, the United States, and to
its great President, Theodore Roosevelt.

REPLY OF MR. ROOT

I appreciate the high honor conferred upon me by the presence of the
Vice-President, the members of the Cabinet, and so many representatives
of foreign nations, so many of whom are old acquaintances of mine. It is
very pleasing to me to find myself among you, as the guest of the
official representative of the United States in Mexico.

I beg you to join me in a sentiment which is not personal--the economic
cooperation of Mexico and the United States. This is a sentiment which
will be concurred in by all those present, as it will redound to the
benefit of all civilized countries who are engaged in commercial
pursuits. I hope that the development of progress may follow its course
to the end that the two countries adjoining each other for thousands of
miles, may, by means of mutual commerce, interchange of capital, labor,
and the fruits of intelligence and experience, attain the results
reached by the states of the American Union, regardless of the distance
between us, because of our mutual cooperation. The signs of the times,
as I understand them, show a possibility of an increase in the relations
between the two countries, si