The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-02-25
Vbad}adqda:
THE POWER OF PUBLIC
OPINION.
Paper read by the Secretary.l
Paper read by the Secretary. !

One of the foremost questions afore
the public mind is, shall we go to war?
Are we to interfere in the Cuban cause
or in the cause of Venezuela by engag-
ing in clash of arms? Are we to en-
danger our pacific relations with those
countries which we hold in the highest
esteem? We answer, certainly not.
What then remains for us to do? This
question has happily been solved by
the one word, "Arbitration." The time
has been when fleets and armies were
the principal reliance even in the best
cause, but, happily for mankind, a
great change has taken place in this
respect Moral causes come into con-
sideration in proportion as the prog
ress of knowledge is advanced, and pub
lie opinion in the civilized world is rap
idly gaining an ascendency over mere
brutal or military force. Public Opin-
ion is already able to oppose the
most formidable obstruction to the
progress of injustice and oppression,
and as it grows more intelligent and
more intense 1t will be more formida-
BILE. 1t may be silenced by military
power but 1T cannot be conquered. 1t
| is elastic and irrepressible to the weap-
ons of warfare and until public opin-
ion is satisfied it is vain for power to
talk of triumph or repose. No matter
what fields are desolated, what for
tresses surrendered, what armies sub
dued or what provinces overrun-yet
unless you have public opinion on your
side, your victory is still a barren one.
In the history of the past few years
in the instance of unhappy Cuba-we
have seen the vanity of all triumphs in
cause which violates the general
sense of justice of the civilized world.
1t is nothing that the Spanish troops
| have invaded the interior of that beau
tifuI and prosperous island, laying bare
and waste the homes and planta-
tiOns in a vain endeavOr to conquer a
belligerency that believes its rights
are being trampled upon. 1t is nothing
that an unhappy and PROSTATE people
have fallen. 1t is nothing that con-
| fscation of their homes and property
| is made and the people are left in want
and desolation. There is an enemy
that still exists to check the glory of
these triumphs, and that enemy is Pub
lie Opinion. 1t follows the cOnquerOr
back to the very scene of his Ovations.
there is yet an indignant public opin-
| ion which at some time will arise and
assert itself. 1t will show him that
the sceptre of his victory is a barren one
that it shall confer neither JOY nor
honor 1t is nothing that powerful
country like England should encroach
upon the rights and territory of COM
paratively weak republic like VeneZue-
la; and for twenty five years keep those
people in a state of uncertainty, thus
hindering their progress. But at last
the hand of public opinion is raised,
the hand of a mighty republic, and the
command is given, hOld on! hands OFT!
1t is the hand of the most enlightened
people on earth; the hand of justice.
1t is the hand Of people who believe
in free and equal rights to all: free
schools and free homes. 1t is the hand
of a people who think, and think
rightly, and who believe in the word of
that immortal hero whose body lies in
Riverside Park-"Be sure you are
right, then 60 ahead" 1t is the hand
of the United States of America pro-
claiming the Monroe doctrine and the
result is the questions involved between
those two countries are to be settled
according to our dictation; and as it is
to be the peaceable settlement of their
differences let us hope that similar
outcome may be the result between
the contending factions of Cuba. Such,
my friends, is the power of public opin-
ion