, 1898-10-27

What would 1t mean? 1t would mean
that the American people desired to
turn back the wheels Of human pro
gress; that they desired to place their
stigma Of disapproval Upon the poll
cles that have been bringing us pros
perity and success; that they are dis
satisfied with his administrator, which
has won these wonderful victories. Do
you believe that God has not been in it
all? Why l tell you that when Dewey
sailed into the harbor of Manila. and
Schley and Sampson pursued the Span
ish. feet along the Cuban coast, that
God raised the Maine until she rode
the seas and won our glorious victories.
(Applausc.)
But what do they urge upon you?
Why, that you should put your seal OF
disapproval on this administration!
What issue do they present? The issue
of the microbe and the fever germ,
that is all. They say there has been
mismanagement; there have beer
shortcomings: there has been neglect
in the hospitals and in the field; quar-
termasters have not gotten goods there
on time; commissaries have not pro
vided good gods, surgeons have not
been in attendance. Stop and think of
1t, when war was declared we had less
than 5000 regular soldiers fitted for
duty in the field; not enough to police
the American coast. Our president
called from the ranks of civil life, 2OO,-
900 American boys. In ia days they
were equipped; they were armed; they
were mustered in; they were moved
across the country; they were put in
camp; they were on our seashores. In
ia days, so wonderful is the record
that 20. 900 of those soldiers had gone
across the seas. and on a foreign shore
had compelled the unconditionl sur
render of a quarter Of a million OF the
troops of Spain. tGreat a%pplause.)
Has God made men with eyes OF the
microscopic kind. who. underneath all
this glory will be %burrowing up the
bottom for shortcomings and defects
Is there any true American citizen who
IN this time OF the nations glory when
our fame is heralded around the globe,
when we stand the wonder and the ad-
miration OF the civilized world. will in
dulge in ~nud-shnging for political pur-
poses, upon an administration that has
accomplished all this? Shortcomings?
yes; defects? yes; deficiencies in sup
plies? yes: inadequate medical attend
ance? yes. But stop and think. These
200, 900 officers and men were unframed
in war: they were rushed to the front;
we had to trust to the inexperience Of
new and untried officers. Stop and
think. Is there a man in Cheyenne
that with all the money in Christen-
dom at his command. in ia days. could
organize one department store in the
city of Chicago, and have 1t run
smoothly and proftably? Don't you
think there would be trouble? Don't
you think goods would be lost and de-
stroyed; that they would be marked
lIfHi OpClly VAdt "ouio uiSop
pear. and fire probably break out and
burn the whole thing up? (Iaughter.)
Is there a man in Cheyenne who. with
all the capital of the world. could equip
and put in successful operation, in ia
days, a railroad system Of 1000 miles?
Don't you think he would u trains in
the ditch? Don't you think that train
~dispatchers would make mistakes?
Don't you think there would be freight
lost? Don't you think human life would
be sacrificed! Why, II you know any
of these God-gifted men who could do
any Of these things in ia days with
out mistakes, let US make them saints.
They are too good for earth, and We
ought to look up to them and keep
them in the heavens above.
My countrymen. what have we not
won for u country? This war, enter
ed into to for humanity's sake and not
for conquest. or for power or for do
main. has necessarily resulted in bring
ing us new possessions, new duties and
new responsibilities. Today we are
just entering upon the new untried;
aye. and the dangerous field OF terri
torial expansion. and yet the American
heart is not afraid, the American intel
lect Is not clouded. the American ener-
gy is not asst down. l am Of that con-
sentative mind that would have wished
that it might not have been necessary
for us to follow the Spanish fleet to the
Philippine islands: and yet l recognize
and cannot help but recognize in it
Gods great hand; I cannot help but
feel that He has found the American
people advanced enough and brave
enough. and Intellectual enough, and
good enough to give into their keeping
the destiny Of other people and other
lands. While I would have heeftated
and doubted the e~1pediency Of sending
our feet to Manila. yet, as a man will
ing to follow the destiny Of my nation
wherever It may be. I stand here TO say
that It is a republican proposition that
wherever the American f,as goes mp no
body shall haul 1t down. (Great ap-
pfanse) (Renewed applause.)
Today w arc just opening q nev
destiny in the Orient and at our own
IorderA. Porto Rico In ours. and the
l phyHrrfu~~ --Rr ~ n~ar. ~nd N,,h>