Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-05
Since Congress Last Assembled.

met for the long session. Today. it
assemblies for the short session. How
much history has been made in this
year; how vast have been the changes;
what new problems of stupendous i'm
portance have been forced upon our
lawmakers Then the country was at
peace, with not even a war cloud upon
the horizon. Since then a great war
has been fought to a most successful
conclusion by our country; the map of
the world has been changed: a mighty
wrong has been righted: our flag has
been carried far into both oceans to
remain forever. 1t must be with
keen realization of the great work be-
fore it that Congress again assemblies.
AT Paris the commissioners are fast
finishing their labors. Spain will sign
the treaty which will then come to the
Senate to be ratified. Every demand
of the United States is conceded. The
protocol stands exactly as written.
! The Philippines are ours. Their con-
| troll, disposition and form of govern
ment have been determined and will be
American. Porto Rico is a part of our
| territory, and Cuba is entirely released
| from Spanish sovereignty and claim.
| Thus is ending the war of 1898 with SUI
| preme triumph on the field of battle
and in the treaty negotiations. The
power of the people of the United
States in a righteous cause has again
been shown to the world, and more
impressively than ever. 1t was no
party nor faction that forced the war.
The people decreed it. Their indignant
| sentiment swept over all barriers.
| They asked that the reign of atrocity
in Cuba be ended and, united in all the
| states, pressed forward to fill the re-
| quirements of the government. On
April % war was declared; on May /
Dewey won a marvellous victory in
Manila bay; on July the Cervera fleet
was destroyed; before the month was
out Santiago surrendered with $4,000
men; on August II the protocol was
signed, and on November 2S the Span
| ish peace commissioners assented to
the treaty proposed.
1t has been year of destiny with
the great republic The clash of arms
carried our flag to victory on opposite
| sides of the world. Much happened
| that was not foreseen. 1t is always so
in war, for war legislates." Our
/, fleets struck the enemy wherever he
could be found and our soldiers fought
under tropical storms in the trenches
of Santiago and Manila, separated by
| half the circumference of the world
| Their valor led invariably to the same
result. We lost many heroes by bull
lets, but not one prisoner nor a flag.
We never gave an inch of ground.
From first to last it was "a war in
which only the word forward" was
heard. The armies of the enemy EN-
| countered were as large as our own.
but the indomitable American spirit
drove them from intrenched positions
and compelled them to surrender. This
is the record that will go into history
a neighboring people from eXtermna-
ton.
Spain would not free its colonies on
any terms nor consent to intervention
in their behalf. 1t preferred war to
giving freedom to Cuba by sale or
otherwise. The island accordingly has
been wrested from it and it must part
also with its main possessions in the
Pacific. If this is hard the choice be-
| tween peace and war was made by
Spain itself and it well knows that the
limits of defeat are not set by the
loser. In all the new and unanticipated
questions involved the United States
has risen to the occasion. 1t has lived
up to Dewey's victory and to right
full future share in the commerce of the
| aCillC llt lSldEuS taken from Spain
were in any case lost to that country
They would have been sold or other
wise transferred to European powers If
we had released them. Our demand for
their possession was wholly logical,
and, in fact, a necessity of the situa-
ton. The great majority of the people
approve it and time will show that
they We're well placed when they fell
into the hands of the nearest en1ght-
ened government. Great consequences
will flow from our just and triumphant
war with Spain. All honor to the peo-
pie, the administration, the army and
the navy.
: Admiral Dewey has raised and
locked three of the Spanish ships
xt-li J.,