Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-20
An UNEMPLOYED Field.

1ns lasting advantage of the country.
An UnexpIored Field.
Neither prejudice nor passion, nor pre-
Htous condition can embarrass the free ao-
ton and calm judgment of the citizen. We
poAve entered upon new paths. We are
treadins in an unexplored field which will
tslt our wisdom and craftsmanship.
The chief consideration is one of duty:
Our actions must be controlled by It. No
settlement Is admissible which will not
preserve our honor and promote the best
Interests of all concerned
with a united country and the gathered
wisdom Of all the people, seeking only the
right, inspired only by high purposes,
moved only by duty and humanity, we can
not err. We may be baff1ed or deferred and
often discouraged, but final success in
cause which is altogether unselfish and'hu-
manitarian can only be deferred, not pre-
vented.
following the clear precepts of duty,
territory falls to US. and the welfare of an
alien people require our guidance and pro-
lection, who will shrink from the respon-
6ibility, grave though 1t may be?
Can we leave those people who, by the
fortunes OF war and our own acts, are
helpless and without government to chaos
and anarchy. after we have destroyed the
only government they have had?
- Duty L. Apparent.
After destroying their government 1t is
the duty Of the American government to
provide for them better one Shall we
distrust ourselves, shall we proclaim to the
world our inability to give kindly govern
ment to oppressed peoples whose future.
by the victories Of war. is conflded to US?
I'VE may wish 1t were otherwise but who
Will question our duty now?
1t is not question of keeping the is-
lands of the east, but of leaving them.
dewey and Merritt took them and the
country instantly and universally applaud
ed.
Could we have brought Dewey away
without universal condemnation at any
time from the LIST of May, the day of his
brilliant victory, which thrilled the world
with Its boldness and heroism?
was 1t right to order Dewey to 60 TO
Manila and capture or destroy the Spanish
Meet and dispatch Merritt and his army to
reinforce him3
If 1t were duty to send them there. and
duty required them to remain there, 1t was
their clear duty to annihilate the feet take
the city OF Manila, and destroy the Spanish
soyereignty In the archipelago
Having done all that in the line of DUTY.
d there any less duty to remain there and
give to the Inhabitants protection and also
our guidance to better government
which will secure to them peace and order
and security in their life and property and
In the purusit Of happiness7
Are we unable to do this? Are we IN
sit down in our isolation and recognize no
obligation to struggling people whose
present conditions we have contributed to
make? would rather have the confidence
Of the Poet Bryant when he exclaims:
Thou, my country. thou shalt never fall
Seas and stormy air
ARE the wide barrier Of thy borders, where
Among thy gallant sons that guard thee
well.
Thou laughst at enemies. Who shall then
declare
The date OF thy deep founded strength nv
tell -
How d hseIRy in thy lap the sons of men shall
my FELLOW citizens, whatever covenants
duty has made for us in the year 1885 we
must keep W
/ Other Speeches.
Secretary of the Treasury Lyman ].
Gage, of Chicago, was heard earlier In
the evening in an address dealing with
the growing commerce of the nation.
8 Secretary Alger responded to The
Army" and Secretary Wilson spoke
upon Agriculture" Gen. Wheeler.
amid intense enthusiasm, replied to the
toast, Woman" with glowing, ehiv-
alrous tribute, which, though brief,
touched the hearts of his southern au-
,dience.
Long Praises spain's Queen.
Speaking to the toast "The Navy"
Secretary Long grew pathetic, and
made an almost impassioned appeal in
behalf of the queen of Spain. He re-
1erred tenderly to her mother love for
her son, her heart-burnings and anx-
1eties during the war, and the blighting
OF her hopes by the outcome of the con-
ddct. Her trials, he said, deserved the
ltenderest sympathy of every mother,
1yery .womap, in America. After an