The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-20
Mr.. GROW SPEAKS
ON DEMOCRACY
IConclu1cd from Page IL

barous warfare upon women and child
ren and the intiiction of cruel atrocities
upon a neighboring people. The vindi-
cation of the memory of these martyred
heroes is the expulsion forever of the
flag and sovereignty of Spain from the
American continent. In doing this the
American people find themselves
charged with new, unexpected respon-
sibilities to eight millions of Spanish
subjects in far-off Asia. Shall the
American people shrink from any re-
sponsibility TO liberty and humanity
because it is unexpected and unfor-
seen?
Tho first expansion of our territorial
limits was the acquisition Of Louisiana,
unexpected and unsolicited. at the hrst
on our part. Jeffcrsons instructions to
our ministers at both Spain and France
were to procure a spot at New Orleans
for the deposit Of goods for reshlpment
without the payment OF duties and for
the free navigation of the Mississippi
River For these privileges he author
lied the payment Of two million dol
lars, IL they could not he procured for
less sum.
But as If marking out our manifest
destiny. Napoleon secretly instructed
Narbois his secretary Of the Treas
ury, t. Cede To the United States the
whole of Louisiana, just as 1t was re-
Ceivcd from Spain, including all the
territory on both sides of the Mississ-
ippi river, from its mouth to its sources,
FOR a fixed compensation. An area of
territory four times greater than France
itself, and almost double the area of
the thirteen original colonies. This
proposition when first made by Mar
hois was a greater surprise, If possible,
to Livingston and Monroe than Was the
surprise to the American people of the
unprecedented victory of Admiral
Dewey in sinking the Spanish navy
i'm the bay of Manila within a week
after the declaration of war with Spain,
because of her inhumanity in the is
land of Cuba.
What new pathways in our national
destiny have been blazed out by Amer
ican cannon on land and battleships
upon the seas, no prophetic ken can
now foresee. If the intervention of this
nation in hehalf of liberty and human
ity in the island of Cuba shall result
in the providence of God. in the eman-
cipation of ten millions of people in
the colonies of Spain, from her despo-
tic, harbarous rule shall the American
people shrink from this unexpected re-
: sponsibility to liberty and humanity?
Has the rule of Spain IN the Philippines
been any moro humane than in Cuba?
Are liberty and humanity questions
of latitude and longitude? A nation in
this age of Christian civilization that
dpptulS 10 bdlllt LOT IllP SpIllenltnI OF
any question must he ready and will
ing to meet all responsibilities to lib
erty and humanity resulting therefrom,
whether foreseen or not
FLAG OF OUR FATHERS.
Today the flag of our fathers right
fully floats over an island in the At
lantic Ocean a thousand miles east of
the coast Of Florida. and in like man
ner, over a still larger island in the
Pacific, in far-Off Asia, ten thousand
miles away. In addition to the questions
of justice. liberty and humanity. grave
questions of commerce over this vast
expanse of territory are to he settled
in ending the war with Spain, and in
their settlement the American people
have a greater interest than any other
nation can possibly have. In the lang
uage of President Mckinley, we want
no differences at home until We have
settled our differences abroad; with a
good national conscience and the cour-
age of destiny"
The President. being the Comman-
der-in-chief of the army and navy of
the United States. is the only person
duly authorized by tho Constitution to
negotiate terms of peace with Spain:
and after that shall he done Congress
must approve before the war is finally
ended.
As the Democratic party is only a
party of fault finding with everything
not done 10y itself, it is incumbent upon
the patriotism of the country to see
that the President is sustained by a
Republican majority i'm both branches
of Congress until the war is ended and
the questions resulting therefrom are
finally settled. For it cannot he forgot
ten that in the war for the preservation
Of the Union while the boom of vic
tonous cannon at Gettysburg was
echoinE down the centuries the Demo-
cratic party in convention at Chicago.
in 1864. declared the war a failure and
demanded an immediate cessation Of
hostilities The Union soldier then,
was by the Democratic party:
ASKED to spikc his guns when the foe
was at bay.
And the rags of his black banner were
dropping away;
To tear down the proud name our nation
had won.
And strike her brave bird from his home
in the sun
fhe Democratic party in national
convention at St, Louis, in 1876 de-
nounced in its platform the efforts the
Republican party was then making for
the resumption of specie payments.
Ihere is not one of the glorious
achievements of the Republican party
in peace or war during the almost half
century of its existence that has not
been opposed with more or less violent
opposition at the time of it's occurrence
by the Democratic party.
SO now the Democratic party. in its
political action, shirks all responsI-
bllity on national questions and issues
and contents itself with fault finding
with the cry of Imperialism il is pre-
pairing to oppose whatever may be done
ny the present administration in finally
ending the war with Spain. A party
.t.,tf.
ardly to express them on great nation
al questions, affecting the destiny of
the Republic, is not party to be in
trusted with power in either State or
Nation.
OUR CANDIDATE.
William \. Stone, candidate of the
Republican party for Governor by his
own inherent force of character. with
out the aid of wealth or family infu-
ence has achieved honorable distinc-
uon. when too young to carry a bal
lot to the ballot box he carried n cart
ridge box and musket on the field of
battle i'm defense of the Union of our
Fathers. He is eminently fitted hy his
long experience I'm legislative positions
and 10y his sterling integrity of char
acter for the duties of Chief Magistrate
of this great Commonwealth.
Charles w. Stone, the Republican
candidate for reelection to Congress
in this district, is one of the most eff
cient members IN the present House
in committees and in the debates on
the floor of Congress. His long exper-
fence in legislation and his familiarity
with public affairs, in both State and
Nation, makes him a most valuable
member of Congress for these times. I
trust his constituents will duly appre-
ciate their obligations 10 the country
by returning him to the Fifty-sixth