The silver lance., 1898-12-23
MUST NOT RETREAT.
NOTABLE SPEECH BY M'klNLEy.
Outlines Our Attitude Toward the Philip
pines-says We Could Not Recal Dow
ey's Fleet After Its Victory.


Savannah, Ga, Dec. 1S.-The recep-
ton of President Mckinley and mem
bers of his Cabinet by the people OF
Savannah yesterday more than equal
ed in hospitality and completeness OF
arrangemnts any previous experiences
/ which have marked the presidential
! trip in the South.
At the banquet last night In the De
Soto hotel, where the presidential party
is staying, President Mckinley, amid
frequent applause, addressed an audi
ence of over 200 persons.
j In the course of his speech he SAID.
.sThere is cause for congratulation,
that, with the grave problem De1ore US
growing out of the war with Spain, we
are free from any divisions at home.
"Our financial and revenue policies
cannot be changed for at least four
| years. and whatever legislation may
be had effecting them during that perl
cd will be to improve and strengthen,
not destroy, them. The public mind
will therefore repose in reasonable Sc
curty, while business will proceed
without apprehension of serious and
sudden changes so disturbing to the
commercial world and so distracting to
the business men.
"The country is free to consider ana
discuss new questions which are imme-
diately before us, unbiased by party or
political alliances. These new .ques-
tions are to be thought out and
wrought out, not in spirit OF par
tisanship, but in spirit Of patriotism,
not for the temporary advantage to
one party or to the other, but Tor the
lasting advantage of the country.
1--WE have entered upon new paths.
We are treading in an unexplored
field which will test our wisdom and
craftsmanship. The chief cOnsidera-
ton is one of duty; our actions must
be controlled by it. No settlement Is ad-
missable which will not preserve our
honor and promote the best interests
of all concerned. With united coun-
try and the gathered wisdom Of all
the people, seeking only the right, In
spired only by high purposes, moved
only by duty and humanity, we cannot
err. We may be baffled or deferred,
and often discouraged. but final sue
cess in a cause which is altogether un-
selfish and humanitarian can only be
deferred, not prevented
"If, following the clear precepts of
duty, territory falls to us, and the well
fare of an alien people who require
our guidance and protection, who will
shrink from the responsibility, grace
though 1t may be. Can we leave these
people, who. by the fortunes of war
and our own acts, are helpless and
without government, to chaos and an
archy, after we have destroyed the on
ly government they have had?
"After destroying their government
1t Is the duty of the American govern
ment to provide for them a better one.
| fSf
proclaim to the world our inability to
give kindly government to oppressed
peoples. whose future by the victories
of war is confided to us? We may
wish 1t were otherwise. but who will
question our duty now?
''It Is not a question of keeping the
islands of the east but of leaving
them. Dewey and Merritt took them.
and the country instantly and univer-
sally applauded Could we have
brought Dewey away without univer.
sal condemnation at any time from the
first of May. the day of his brilliant
victory. which thrilled the world with
its boldness and heroism? Was il
right to order Dewey to go to Manila
and capture or destroy the Spanish
fleet and dispatch Merritt and his army
to reinforce him?
| "If 1t were duty to send them there
and duty required them to remain
there, It was their clear duty to ami
hilate their fleet, take the city of Ma
nila and destroy the Spanish sover
eighty in the archipelago. Having
done all this in the line of duty, is
there any less duty to remain there
and give to the inhabitants protection
and also our guidance to a better gov
ernment which will secure to then
peace and order and security in theil
, life and property and in the pursuit OF
happiness? Are we unable to do this
, Are we to sit down in our isolation and
recognize no obligation to a struggling
people whose present conditions we
have contributed to make?
: 81 would rather have the confidence
: of the poet Bryant, when he ex
claimed:
"'Thou, my country, thou shall never
fall
Seas and stormy air
Are the wide barrier of thy borders
where,
Among thy gallant sons that guart
thee well,
: Thou laugh at enemies. Who shal
then declare
The date of thy deep founded strength
or tell
How happy in thy lap the sons of mel
shall dwellY
, "My fellow citizens, whatever cove
nants duty has made for us In tn,
, year 1898, we must keep"
CRITlCISE MR.. BRYAN.