The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-16

But whatever the future may have in store for us, bound up with the destiny Of these islands, so strangely thrown | upon our hands, there are some things which this war as already taught us. When it seemed inevitable, part of our little navy was in the far Pacific. The Oregon, our best and strongest | battleship, was in Puget Sound. The immediate danger feared was on | the Atlantic coast, and so she began her wonderful race with time, half round the world, and every throb of her engines and every turn of her screws seemed to speak a word of warning to this people that a canal across the isthmus should no longer be delayed, but that 1t must be built, defended and controlled by the United States. 1 Our opportunity is now to join the oceans and grasp the trade of the Paci- | fic.
 The commerce of the Orient is al ready knocking at the Golden Gate. | If we do not heed the call it will soon be drawn to European ports.
 We have heard much of late of an al- l liance between the British empire and l ourselves.
 Washington, in his farewell address, tells us that it Is folly in one nation to look for disinterested favors from an- other" and that "there can be no great CT error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an a1lusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to dis card"
 While it is we'll for us as nation to hold the most kindly feelings to those of our own kith and kin, no tie be- tween even these can long be binding which is not based on mutual advan- tage and respect.
 Self-respect and absolute freedom from all alliances, is the best way to secure the respect of others.
 The issue will soon be made be- tween the political parties that we do as we did in 66, disband our army and reduce our navy to skeleton and for get the lesson of '9S.
 I stand here as republican to-day, and urge upon the party a complete system of coast defences, with an army large enough to man and maintain them at all times, with a navy com mensurate with the dignity of nation of seventy million people, navy which shall so compel respect in time of peace that war may be averted as this one might have been but for our known lack of readiness for 1t.
 With line of British Qualifications facing our coast from Halifax to the Gulf, the Atlantic has been English territory to high water mark at Sandy Hook, and except in coast-wise com | merce, the American flag was seldom seen upon the sea, but the Yankee tars have won their right to sail both oceans, and the Third of July" and Manila Bay are our title deed to the worlds highway.
 I want no navy rotting away like those of Turkey and Spain, but cruising in every sea, with the full belief that the ships of peace will speedily follow, and carry to every cline the products of American skill and ingenuity.
 It is a national disgrace that with the longest coast line in the world, fronting on two oceans with foreign com merce aggregating nearly two billions of dollars, ninety per cent. of the car rying trade should have been controlled by our commercial rivals, and tribute paid by us to our competitors.
 It seemed to be a ludicrous thing when a Spanish captain in Manila Bay, expressed a desire to continue the fight if allowed three hours time to go ashore and renew his supply of powder I and shell.
 But it only epitomized the condition of the United States last spring when the whole power of he administration was being used to delay q declaration of war, while our agents were securing the world for shot and shell and the subsidized ships of other nations, all of which might have been in abundant supply and the product of American la bor, but for the mistaken economy of the years gone by.
 It is said that when the arrival of the Oregon was cabled from a Brazilian port, on her homeward journey, the na- val strategy board at Washington sent to Captain Clark orders providing for all possible chances of his being inter- cepted by the Cape Verde squadron, when back came this reply Don't tangle me up with instructions. I am not afraid of the whole Spanish feet
 Such ships, the product of American skill, manned by such men, going out from American homes, make an Amer ican navy reality, do away with any need of a foreign alliance, and give promise and possibility of an American merchant marine which shall be worthy of this republic.
 But while we are proud of the splen- did deeds of the men who sailed the ships and manned the guns, we cannot forget the boys on shore
 Boys indeed in years, but men in courage and brave endurance.
 No matter where, breasting the Span ish fire on San Juan hill, half drowned . in the trenches before Santiago, moan ing in fever camps, or learning the first : duty of a soldier strict obedience, on American soil, everywhere patient, faithful and brave, worthy sons of the old veterans of '61, by whose courage and sacrifices '9S was made possible and whose glory is not dimmed, but only reflected in this later time. Regulars and volunteers, black and white, dudes" and rough riders, all de- serve nations praise, in well earned | gratitude and kindest care For the administration of this state through all this crucial time, I have no word but praise
 When the record is all made up it will I1Af hot q # e+te f1e