Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-29

Lincoln, Dec. 24.-Col. Bryan re-
turned to Lincoln yesterday afternoon
and in the evening was rendered a re-
ception at the Oliver theater by the
Woman's Bi-Metallic league. The
house was crowded and Col Bryan re-
eeiVed an ovation. He was introduced
by Gov. Holcomb, who formally well
coined him home and complimented
him for his patriotism in enlisting in
the army. After thanking his neigh
bors for their cordial welcome and
complimenting the members of his reg
iment and Col. Vifquain, in whose
charge he left it, Bryan justified his
resignation as follows:
Il had five months of peace in the
army and resigned to take part in a
fight. l am as much interested in the
people of the United States as in the
people of Cuba, and unless I am mis-
taken in judging, we are called upon
to meet more important problems in
the United States just now than will
confront the army in Cuba. Let me
improve this, my first opportunity, to
assure you that my zeal for the re-
forms advocated few months ago
have not in the least abated.
think the American people hav>
not accepted the gold standard
as final. 1t has wrought more injustice
in our country during the last % years
than Spain wrought in all her colonies,
and the opposition to it will grow I'M
til the gold and silver coinage of the
constitution is fully restored. The
trusts which now flourish in defiance
OF the laws are more merciIess han
Weyler was, and the new trust-the
paper money trust which is seeking 10
obtain control of all the paper money
OF the nation-is a greater menace to
the country's welfare than any foreign
foe,
There are, however, two new ques-
tions which demand immediate atten
tiob because congress is asked to pass
upon them at once. The president
recommends that the regular army be
permanently increased to 100000 men.
This question must be met now or not
at ALL
Taking Up the subject OF Imperialism,
Bryan said the president misinterpret-
ed the sentiment Of the people. They
are opposed to giving the Philippine
islands back to Spain, but have not yet
declared in favor of embarking upon
colonial policy. SO great a change, he
said, could not be undertaken without
more investigation and deliberaton
than people have yet given to the sub
ject.
The principal pare of Bryan's speech
was devoted to the Philippine question.
In conclusion he referred to McKin-
ley's inquiry as to who win haul
down the flag" and replied, "the flag is
the national emblem, obedient to the
national will. 1t is for the people, not
for the fiag. When the people want
the flag raised they raise it; when they
want it hauled down, they haul it
down. The flag was raised upon Cana
dian soil during the war of 1872; it was
hauled down when peace was restored.
Tie flag was placed upon Chapultepec
during the war with Mexico; it
was hauled down when the waH was
over. The flag will be raised in Cuba
again on the first of January, but the
president declares in his message that
it will be hauled down as soon as
staple government is established. Who
will deny to the people the right to
haul the flag down in the Philippines,
if they so desire, when a staple govern
ment is established there? Our flag
stands for the indissoluble union Of
indestructible states. Every state is
represented by a star and every terri
tory sees in the constitution the star
of hope that will some day take it's
place in the constellation. What is
there in the flag to awaken the zeal
of or reflect the aspirations of vassal
colonies which are too good to be cast
away, but not good enough to be ad-
mitted to the sisterhood of states?
Shall we keep the Philippines and
amend our flag? Shall we add q new
star-the blood-star Mars--to indicate
that we have entered upon a career of
conquest? Or shall we borrow the
yellow, WHICH III 1850 was the DduSe u
gold and greed, and paint Saturn and
his rings, to suggest the carpet-bag
government with its schemes of spoila-
ton? Or shall we adorn our flag
with the milky way composed
of a multitude of minor stars repre-
senting remote and insignificant de-
tendencies? No; a thousand times
better to haul down the stars and
stripes and substitute a flag of ar in
dependent republic than to surrender
the doctrines that give glory to old
glory 1t was the flag of our fathers
in the years that are gone; it is the
flag of the reunited country today; let
Ii be the flag of our nation in the years
that are to come; its stripes of red tell
OF blood shed to purchase liberty; lite
stripes of white proclaim the pure-bop
purpose of a government which de-
rived its just powers from the consent
of the governed. The mission of that
flag is to aoat, not over a conglomera-
ion of commonwealth, but over the
land of the free and the home of the
brave. and to that mission it must re-
main forever true-forever true"