Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-09-01

Bledsoe and about hundred or 30
others were especially solicitous re-
garding the comfort and welfare OF
the crowd.
Early Thursday morning the people
began to gather from all the country
round within a radius of fifty miles.
They came in carriages, hacks, bug
gies, on horseback and on bicycles,
and by noon the beautiful picnic
grove, which consists of IA acres of as
pretty ground as there is anywhere,
was filled with living mass of human
ity, all having good time.
There is no better country on the
face of the earth than that which lies
in the vicinity of Santa Fe, and no
better or more hospitable people any
where than those who reside in that
vicinity. If anyone doubts this fact
that person should make it a point to
attend the Santa Fe picnic next year.
The Mexico Band furnished the
music, which was highly complimented
by everybody.
Mexico was largely represented at
the picnic and it was the universal
verdict of all who were there from this
city that it was the most enjoyable one
they ever attended. Everybody had
a good time and all want to 60 again.
The corn fields between Mexico and
Santa Fe are many and prolific.
Everywhere the eye rested corn was
in view and with continued favorable
weather the yield will be large.
Our old friend, w. J. Bolts, one of
the promoters of Santa Fe picnics,
was confined to mis- home by illness
and could not attend.
SYNOPSIS OF THE SPEECHES.
Mr.. Dockery spoke first of the mon
etary problem and then passed to a
review of the causes which led to the
war with Spain and its results, both
upon the acquisition of territory and
the expansion of trade. He conclus-
lively demonstrated that the war was
forced upon a hesitating and unwill-
ing administration and that the DEM
ocratic party had subordinated par
tisanship to patriotism, by giving a
jealous support to all measures nee
essary for a vigorous prosecution of
the war. In the presence of foreign
foe, criticism had been silent. So
long as the Spanish flag was defiantly
floating on the Western hemisphere,
the Democratic party had withheld
adverse comment, although gross
favoritism and incompetency in the
conduct of the War Department
would have fully justified such a
source of procedure. The Democratic
party had patriotically upheld the
administration and honored all re-
quisitions for men and appropriations
of money. He congratulated the
country that the war had demonstrat
ed the loyalty of the South and for
ever Obliterated the old-time sectional
differences. The war, he asserted
with patriotic fervor, had happily
united our own people and also ac-
complished the liberation of Cuba.
The acquisition of contiguous terri
tory was in harmony with Democratic
policies and traditions. Excepting
only Alaska, all territory which had
been acquired was the contribu-
ton of the Democratic party.
We favored the acquisition of Porto
Rico and the maintenance of the Mon
roe Doctrine both in letter and spirit.
We would acquire naval stations
wherever desirable and increase the
navy to the limit necessary to protect
American interests and uphold the
national honor. We oppose an in
crease of the standing army and urge
the enactment of oflegislation to rebuild
our merchant navy. Territorial ex-
pansion was but the herald of an
expansion of trade which would make
the United States the dominating
force in the control of the worlds
commerce. To this end he urged the
construction of the Nicaragua canal In
order to shorten the line of ocean
transportation to the Orient by 5000
miles and give US access to the trade
of 800, 0,00O,O 900 people. The Pacific
would become the byway OF a com.
merce as vast and as profitable as
that which now crosses the Atlantic
He declared that the markets of the
universe must be ours 30 that the
farmers, miners and other producers
could reap the proper reward for theil
labors., With improved machinery
overproduction was inevitable under
the Republican policy Of Commercial
| exclusion. He concluded with an ap'
peal in behalf of large merchaa
navy, and policy of commercial ex'
pansion.
Senator Cockrell spoke for about al
hour and discussed the results of tht
war. He stated that the war demon
strated that we were the greatest ma
ton in the world in all the elements
Of true greatness and vindicated tn,
Democratic principle of peace, com
merce and honest friendship with al
nations and entangling alliances will
none, and showed the vast superiort!
Of American soldiers and seamen, du,
to their individuality, self reliance ant
intelligence; and that the volunteer
soldiers, fresh from civil life, showet
equal courage and fearlessness will
the drilled soldiers Of the regula
army; and no increase of the standing
army was necessary and the principle
of Democracy well disciplined
militia, our best reliance in peace
was clearly vindicated.
He also said the war had made ]
perfectly clear that there was M
North, no South, no East, no West, ,bu
only one people, one flag, one nation
an indissoluble union Of indestructibi
States, and that the Democrats wer