Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-24
BRYAN ANSWERS MKINLEY.
Why We Nav Haul Down the F1aa
I'm the Philippines.


LINCOLN. NEB.. December 23.--Colonel
w. J. Bryan returned TO Lincoln this
morning, and was tonight rendered a re-
ception at the oliver Theatre By the
Women's Bimetallic League. The house
was crowded, and Colonel Bryan received
an ovation. lie was introduced by Gov
ernor Holcomb, who formally welcomed
him home and complimented him for his
patriotism IN enlisting in the army.
After thanking his townspeople for the
warm reception. he justified his resigna-
ton from the army as follows:
Il had five months of peace in the
army, and resigned to take part in a
hght. l am as much interested in the
people OF the United States as / nm In
the people Of Cuba, and unless I am mis-
taken we are called upon to meet more
Important problems i'm the United States
Just now than Will confront our army in
Cuba.
Some of these problems were under
discussion before hostilities began; others
have been thrust upon US as a result OF
the war. Let me improve this. my FIRST.
opportunity 10 assure you that my zeal
Tor the reforms advocated a few months
ago has not in the least abated. Vital
questions cannot be killed or buried, and
we were dealing with vital questions
when the call TO arms resounded through
out the land.
GOLF STANDARD NOT FINAL
THE American people have not accepted
the gold standard as final. Ii has wrought
more injustice in our country during the
last twenty-five years than Spain has
wrought in ali her Colonies, and opposition
to it will grow until the gold and silver
coinage of the Constitution is fully re-
stored. The trusts which now flourish in
defiance of laws are more merciless than
Weyler was, and the new trust-the pa
per-money trust, which is seeking TO OBJ
tain control of all the paper money OF
the nation-s a greater menace 10 the
cOuntry's welfare than any foreign foe.
There are, however, two new questions
which demand immediate attention., be-
cause Congress is asked to act upon them
at once. The President recommends that
the regular army be permanently in
creased to l00,0 900 men. This question must
be met now or not at all"
Taking up the subject Of imperialism.
Mr.. Bryan said that the President has
m"isinterpreted the sentiment of the peo-
pie. They are opposed TO giving the Phil
ippine Islands back to Spain, but they
haze not as yet declared in favor of en-
barking upon a colonial policy. SO great
a change. he said. could not be under
Adhtl M4lupul I4oIt lhNtHAbdAitH dIh
elaboration thnn the people had yet
given to the subject. The principal part
Of Mr.. Bryap's speech was devoted TO
the Philippine question.
HAULING DOWN THE FLAG.
In this connection he referred TO Presi-
dent McKinley's enquiry, "Who will haul
down the fag?' and replied:
The flag is a national emblem, and is
obedient 10 the national Will. II was
made for the people. not the people for
the flag. When the American people
want the flag raised, they raise IL. When
they want it hauled down, they haul II
down. The flag was raised upon Cana
dian soil during the war OF 1872. and it
was hauled dow when peace was re-
stored. The flag was planted upon
ChapultePec during the war with Mexico,
and It was hauled down when the war
was over. The morning papers announce
that General Lee ordered the flag hauled
down in Cuba yesterday. because it was
raised too soon. The flag will be raised
in Cuba again on the LIST Of January. but
the President declares I'm his message
that it will be hauled down as soon as a
stale government is established. Who
Will ueny to the people the right TO haul
the flag down in the Philippines, If they
so desire. when a stable government is
established there?
"Our flag stands for an indissoluble
union Of lndestructible States. Every
State is represented by a star, and every
territory sees in the Constitution a star
OF hope, that will some day take it's place
In the constellation. What IS there in
the flag to awaken the zeal or reflect the
ASPIRATIONS OF vassal Colonies. which are
too good to be cast away, but not GOOD
enough TO be admitted 10 the sisterhood
of States?
a NEW STAR-THE BLOOD STAR?
Shall we keep the Philippines and
amend our flag? Shall we add a new
star-the blood star, Mars-to indicate
that We have entered upon a career OF
conquest? Or shall we borrow the yellow
which in 1916 was the badge Of gold and
greed, and paint Saturn and his rings. 10
suggest a carpet-bag government. with its
schemes Of spoliatiOn? or shall we adorn
our nag with a milky way, composed OF
a multitude of minor stars, representing
remote and insignificant dependencies?
mo; a thousand times better to haul
down the Stars and Stripes and substi-
tute the flag of an Independent republic.
than 10 surrender the doctrines that give
glory 10 Old Glory 1t was the flag OF
our fathers in the years that are gone.
1t Is the flag of a reunited country TO-
day. Let it be the flag Of our nation in
the years that are 10 come. Its stripes
OF red tell Of the blood that was shed
to purchase liberty; It's stripes of white
proclaim the pure and Heaven-born DIR
pose Of a government which derives its
just powers from the consent of the
governed. The mission of that flag is 70
toat, not over a conglomeration OF peo-
pie, but over the land of the free and
the home Of the brave and 10 that mis-
sion it must remain forever true. for
oyar trina