The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-08-30
guarded from this hour onward wo
have been remiss and Indifferent !, ,ho M
past S
Sh"se sement Too Long Doiava

1"ss sement Too Long Delayed.
lnink OF the Virginius massacre
1hat was the hour In which we shon,d
nave taught Spain her lesson. Lon.
years OF suffering and bloodshed would
nave been avoided. 1t is idle to saw
tnat the Virginius was not an Amer.
lean ship. Many OF the men ano,rd
her were American citizens. and tho
snip was caught on the high seas. Tho
men were shot in cold blood. and wa
STOOD 1t. We endured such an OUTRAGE
with General Grant. brave and trne
man, at the head of affairs. It w,s
not cowardlce on the part Of the Amar.
ican people. but 1t was lethargv and
indinerence that was quite as debasinu
In the sight Of the world. That was
what justified all subsequent Spanish
bluff and bravado.
but We have risen to q new plane
70 the level that we really were en-.
titled to hold all along. Nothing but
tue indifference OF our statesmen has
prevented the United States from oc.
cupying the place to which it belonged.
The American people have had the
courage OF their destiny all the time.
They have never faltered.
Will Not Hereafter Permit Iud,fY.r.nc..
Hereafter, l tell you, the maritime.
com nercial and political genius of cur
people will not permit their governing
power TO be Indifferent to their honor
or their progress. An outrage like that
| at Santiago de Cuba-where nearly
half hundred Americans were stood
up against . wall ana sho,-would not
be passed over today.
How do you suppose q similar mas
sacre OF American citizens In Havana
| would be received this afternoon :
| Why. our warships would be on their
way to that port by midnight That
Is the difference. And it is we'll 1t is
as it should be
| Ceased to Bs the China OF tho West.
"The United States has ceased to be
the China Of tho Western continent
We are alive. thank God. and mus,
not DO insul,ed by any power in this
world. great or small.
That's the difference between the
United States Of the 7O's and today.
'And isn't the change one that ough,
to make every patriot glad: Wars are
inevitable-or all history is false
Steam power has broadened their arena
No nation Is safe. Japan's triumph
over China was robbed OF most OF 1T
value to the victorious nation by th'
Intervention OF n stronger power.
Are we TO be weak like Japan: Car
We contemplate for an instant the In
reference OF any power that shall
nbrid4e the majesty and glory laid a
our feet by the incompatible Dewey
say never
Nor. Batti.ahip. and Cruisers.
Therefore you may quote me jus
as strongly as you can as saying:
more bat'leships. and after tha
moro cruisers and ba,,leships again
The men will step forward as fast a
We can build the ships"
Suppose that Dewey had been de
feated at Manila: What might hav
been tho fate of the Hawaiian island
and our Pacific coast from Berinl
: straits to San Diego? The Asiatic stu
alton is one that deeply concerns Us
II We are outwitted there we must a
|, once prepare for defense of our west
, eru coast line from the same aggres
sions that have humb.ed the oldes
empire on earth. i'll the eyes of moder
civilization.
: "What do you think Of the cordia
relations between tins country an
r Great Britain
e "They are timely and welcome. Tn
q aversion OF generations has passe
c away"
:, will tho Cubans govern then
selves ("
II hope so. We have made thei
free from the yoke of Spain and thei
destiny il before them