The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-18
BANQUET AT The De SOTO
OUR DUTY AND EXPANSION AS
SEEN BY MKINLEY.
ALGeR BIDS VOLUNTEERS Be PATIENl
n Inmates They will not b. Mustered out at the
Present. President at a Grand Re-
view. From Savannah he
Will go to Macon.

Will 60 to Macon.
Savannah, Ga, Dec. 1.-THE recep-
tion of President Mckinley and the
members of his Cabinet by the people of
Savannah to-day more than equalled
in hospitality and completeness of ar
rangement any previous experiences
which have marked the Presidential trip
in the South. The party arrived from
Montgomery at IL a. M, reviewed ten
thousand troops stationed around Savan-
nah, took a trip down the Savannah river
and was entertained this evening at a
grand banquet rendered by the Chamber
of Commerce and Association of citi-
zens. The enthusiasm of the Savannah
people and of the fifteen thousand per-
sons, who. it is estimated, had come to
the city from the surrounding country
to greet the President, was fully equal
TO the remarkable demonstrations which
have distinguished the trip in other
cities.
At the banquet tonight in the De Soto
Hotel where the Presidential party is
staying. the President amid frequent ap-
plause addressed his audience consist
ing of over 200 persons, in part as fol-
lows:
that with the grave problem before us
growing out of the war with Spain we
are free from any divisions at home.
Our financial and revenue policies
cannot be changed for at least four years
and whatever legislation may be had
affecting Them during that period. will
be to improve and strengthen, not de-
stroy them.
This leaves the country free to con-
slider and discuss new questions which
are Immediately before us, unbiased by
party or past political alliances. These
new questions are to be thought out and
wrought out, not in a spirit of PARTISAN
ship. but in a spirit of patriotism, not
for the temporary advantage of one
party or the other, but for the lasting adj
vantage of the country. We have enter
ed upon new paths. We are treading in
an unexplored field which will test our
wisdom and craftsmanship. With Il
united country and a gathered wisdom of
all the people. seeking only the right,
inspired only by high purposes, moved
only by duty and humanity, we cannot
err. We may be baffied, deferred and
often discouraged, but final success in
y cause which is altogether unselfish
id humanitarian can only be deferred
not prevented.
IF, following the clear precepts of
duty, territory falls to us and the welfare
of an alien people require our guidance
and protection, who will shrink from the
responsibility, grave though it may be:
IL rx-l.r lxytI he
fortunes of war and our own acts, are
helpless and without government, to
chaos and anarchy after we have de-
stroyed the only government they have
had? Having destroyed their govern
Inent. it is the duty of the American
Government to provide for them Il bet
ter one. Shall we distrust ourselves,
shall we proclaim to the world our ina
bility TO give kindly government to op-
pressed peoples, whose future by the vic
tories of war; is confided to us? We may
wish it were otherwise, but who will
question our duty now!
at is not a question of keeping the is
lands of the East, but of leaving them
Dewey and Merritt took them, and the
country instantly and universally APP
nlauded. Could we have brought Dewey
away without universal condemnation
at any time from the first Of May. the
day of his brilliant victory, which thrill
ed the world with its boldness and hero
ism? Was it right to order Dewey to
90 TO Manila and capture or destroy the
Spanish fleet and dispatch Merritt and
his army to re-enforce him? If it We're
duty to send them there. and duty
required them to remain there. it was
their clear duty to annihlate the feet,
take the city of Manila and destroy the
Spanish sovereignty in the archipelago.
Having done all of that in the line of
duty. is there any the less duty to remain
there and give to the inhabitants protee-
tion 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 pursuit of
happiness? Are we unable to do these!
Are we to set down in our isolation and
recognize no obligation to struggling
pcople whose present conditions we have
contributed to make? ] would rather
have the confidence of the poet Bryant
when he exclaims:
".Thou my country, thou shall never
fall.
Seas and stormy air
Are the wide barrier of thy borders
where.
Among thy gallant sons that guard
thee well. -
'Thou laughest at enemies. VINO
shall then declare