The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-05-18
RATHER SIGNIFICANT.

Don M Dickinson Makes q Speech with
Bristles On Can Veterans Hear this
Bugie Csl?-The United States Must be
Prepared Both on Land and on Sea, &C
Resist the Encroachments of Great Brit
ain.
DETROIT, Mich, May 1.-THE feature
of the Loyal Legion banquet at the
Russell house Thursday night was the
speech against Great Britain, delivered
by Don. NJ. Dickinson. Mr.. Dickinson
responded to the toast Our Veterans,
Can They Hear a Bugle Call?" and
with impassiOned voice and impetuous
eloquence he pointed to what he con-
sidered the menacing attitude of En-
gland towards this country. Mingled
with scathing denunciations of the
mother country were strong APP
peals for increased military forces
for this country. The speech was more
remarkable on account of the fact that
Mr.. Dickinson Is Mr.. Cleveland's most
intimate and important political
friend, being frequently summoned to
Washington as an adviser in matters
great and small, and taken in connec-
ton with the administrations course
in reference to England and her deal
ings with Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Mr.. Dickinson had just returned from
Washington and from consultation
with the president. He said in part:
"Optimlsts and some doctrinaireS tell us that
the age Of war is forever past. The evidence
does not sustain the proposition. The peoples
OF the whole world, excepting America only.
are either under arms or on a war footing. In
trigue and war, and conquest and massacre,
and false pretenSeS and treachery, are the
means to this end in use by the great compet-
ing countries OF the old world in the strife. 1t
is the part of wisdom to consider these things,
and In our vigilant guard Of our country's well
fare 1t is our patriotic duty to weigh as MOTH
Ing all international after-dinner sentiment
and friendly professions In the stllted
and stock phrases Of diplomacy. In the pres
ent conditions we may indulge in o reciproc-
iy of polite phraSing and pOSt-prandial ex-
uberance, if our alert watchmen will mean
time keep an eye on our good friends across
the Atlantic, especially when, having appro-
priated Africa. the islands and even the rocks
Of the sea. and wherever else force or intrigue
may gain a footing. they begin to take an in
terest. not altogether born Of curiosity or OF a
purely christianizing spirit, in this hemisphere,
zone can be SO innocent as to believe that
the sentiment OF relationship or friendship OF
England would stand in the way Of the settled
policy of Great Britain to make Englishmen
richer and her power greater, even at our cost.
Her policy is first and last and always to ad-
vance British interests and retain British SUI
premacy-tO retain and add TO British wealth.
Her purposes are material. Whoever gets in
the way OF that is the enemy OF England, and
will be so t~reated-whether it be the United
States, as a great commercial rival who
may be intrigued against and encroached
,--- $500 oN--T-l F-- . -
distress, or when of guard, or u tribe Of black
men in Africa, in the way of her colonization
schemes, who may be safely massacred with
machine guns.
The corruption OF continental cabinets, the
treatment OF Napoleon after his surrender
the acquisition and history Of India,
the shameful support OF the Turk in
Europe to this day, the treatment of Greece
in her struggle for independence, the
cruel massacre OF Afghan tribes, the occupa-
tion OF Egypt, the ruthless slaughter Of blacks
in Africa, the unspeakable treatment OF Ire
land and the chivalry Of the mighty toward
the weak as exemplified in Venezuela and
Nicaragua are a few of the subjects to be treat
ed Of and characterized by the fair historian
OF the next century, when he shall set down
the facts of this one.
But they are subjects worth considering
now, because we should study well the con-
ditions surrounding our future and should
know something OF the character and purposes
and policies of that power who the telegraph
and the greyhoundS OF the sea with and with
out guns. armored and have made
our near neighbor. A neighbOr who has re-
Gently completed on the Island Of St. Luica. in
the West Indies. one OF the strongest for
treSses in the world. and has been careful not
to mention it, nor to permit it to be described
In print.
Against what power OF the old world IS this
forsHication to defend? What fleet IS It sup
posed will rendezvous under its guns. and
against what nation is that feet 20 be sent?
The fortress at Nassau. of the Atlantic sea-
board. has been recently strengthened and
greatly added to, and yet 1t served very well
during our war to protect the violators Of the
blockade. and the ships Of war that preyed up
on our found refuge under its guns.
There Is 4 fertilization of great strength at
Halifax. on our northeast border, recently
ndded to and greatly strengthened.
"Since the beginning OF the year congress has
pasSee an act. which was signed by the presi-
dent, expressing the deepinterest OF the Amer
ican people In an American canal across the
American iSthmus, which will be the highway
OF a mighty commerce between the two
oceans. simultaneously we have had the
most extraordinary claims and movements
OF England in Nicaragua. We have. too,
the covert suggestion from her foreign office
that the Cla~yton-Bulwer t~reaty-lOng since
treated as abrogated by England, and there
fore abrogated Mt our electiOn-is still in force.
Il think you will agree with me that patriot
ism and good craftsmanship alike applaud the
increase of our navy and demand its further
increase, demand a large standing army, and
adequate coast defenSes. so that we may have
peace with dignity in these later days and ex-
tend and hold the worldwide which