Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-09-02

president Is q move IN exactly the
opposite direction.
Don't Pull Down thS Flag.
New York, Aug. Ex-senator Davis,
Of Minnesota, one Of the members Of
the peace commission which is soon to
meet in Paris, in an interview yester-
day expressed himself on the condi-
tions confronting the American peo-
pie as a result of the recent a
Events have made us one Of the
great powers. Of the EARTH" he said.
Whatever we may have desired our
selves, heretofore, destiny has forced
upon responsibilities that we must
recognize and except. We have be-
come a potent factor in the worlds
progress. We are not strong enough
yet, but not an hour must be lost in
equipping ourselves to cope with any
emergency that may arise. Our vol
unteer army is as good, if not better,
than any force of tho. kind in this
world, but we cannot rest secure in
that thought. We must have q large
regular army ready at call in the
future. We must have as good a navy
IS any nation on earth. We have an
excellent beginning. Ship for. ship,
we need fear nobody. But we must
build ships with true American en-
ergy. Nothing must deter US. We
know that we have the men to put be-
hind the guns. Love of gunnery is
an American characteristic. When
we were boys all Of us knew how to
handle firearms. "A gun is the earliest
thought of the American youth. Men
are only grown-up boys. That explains
our success at Manila and Santiago"
Referring to the danger of attack as
q result Of colonial expansion he said:
"Actually we are not q whit more ex-
posed to attack as a colonial power
than WI have been every hour since
the active advent of steam sea power.
The glorious victories of navy have
brought us g responsibilities, but
the Philippines or the Sandwich
Islands r not more isolated than are
parts Of our Pacific coast. Hereafter
our power must be felt on the Pacific
Ocean. The mere addition Of a few
hundred square miles of territory by
capture or treaty does not increase
our danger.
"China is the coyeted part of the
earth's surface today; but who could
have predicted six mouths ago that
Russia, Germany, or Japan would not
covet a foothold on the North Ameri-
can continent? Now we see the trend
Of events in the East. Providence has
stepped in to point the future cource
for us. We must police the Pacific
ocean. Its coast has been our vulner-
able point.
"You understand, I am on record as
favoring the retention of territory that
has beeu acquired by the splendid
victories of our arms. I am an Ameri-
can citizen, speaking as such, and my
remarks have nothing to do with Official
duties that 1 shall undertake on Oct. l
as a commissioner to the congress Of
Paris. What that body will or will
not do. 1 would not predict If I
could. / am talking of the situation
as it exists today and as every Ameri-
can citizen can see it. The interests
of the United States must be jealousy
guarded from this hour on. We have
been remiss and Indifferent in the
past. Think of the Virginius massacre.
That was the hour in which we should
have taught Spain her lesson.
therefore you may quote me as
strongly as you a as saying:
"More ~battleships and after that
more cruisers and battlships again.
The men will step forward as fast as
we can build the ships"
Suppose that Dewey had been de-
feated at Manila? What might have
been the Fate of the Hawaiian islands
and u Pacific coast from Behring
strait to San Diego? The Asiatic sit
uation is one that deeply concerns us.
II we r outwitted there, we must at
once prepare for a defence of u
western coast line from the same ag-
gressions that have humbled the old
est empire on earth in the eyes of
modern civilization" b.
$500 D.