The record-union., 1898-06-15
TRANSMISSISSlPpI EXPOSITION.
DEDICATION OF THE NE
BRAsKA BUILDING.
William Brysn's Reference to the
War With Spain and Its
Possible Results.

OMAHA (Neb), June 14.-Ihe Ne
braska building at the Exposition was
dedicated to-day with appropriate GER
emony amid the plaudits of thousands
Of the States citizens. Governor Hol-
comb and staff took part in the exer-
cises, along with many OF the states
most distinguished residents. The
speakers of the day were Hon. c. j.
Smith, Hon. w. F. Gurley and Hon.
William j. Bryan.
Alter discussing the resources OF Ne
braska. Mr. Bryan made the following
reference to the war and its results:
War is harsh; it is attended by
hardship and suffering; it means vast
expenditure of men and money. We
may Well pray tor the coming of the
time, promised in Holy Writ, when the
spears shall be beaten into pruning
hooks and the swords into plowshares,
but universal peace cannot come until
justice is enthroned throughout the
world. Jehovah deals with nations as
he deals with men, and for both DEGREES
that the wages of sin is death. Until
the right has triumphed in every land
and love reignS in every heart, GOV
ernmentS must, as last resort, appeal
to force. AS long as the oppressor is
deaf to the voice of reason so long must
musket and his hand to the saber
Our nation exhausted diplomacy in
it's efforts to secure a peaceabe solu-
tion of the Cuban question, and only
took up arms when it was compelled to
choose between war and servile ac-
Quiescence to cruelties which would
have been a disgrace to barbarism.
q History will vindicate the position
taken by the United States in the war
with Spain. In saying this l assume
that the principles which We're invoked
in the Inauguration of the war would
be served in its prosecution and con-
clusion. If a contest undertaken for
the sake of humanity degenerates into
war of conquest, we shall find it diff
cult to deny the charge of having added
hypocrisy to greed. Is our national
character so weak that we cannot with
stand the temptation to appropriate the
first piece of land that comes within
our reach?
ITO infiict upon the enemy all possi-
BILE harm is legitimate warfare, but
shall we contemplate a scheme for the
colonization of the Orient merely be-
cause our fleet won a remarkable vic
tory in the harbor of Manila?
Our guns destroyed the Spanish
fleet but can they destroy that self
evident truth that governments derive
their just powers-not from superior
force-but from the consent of the gov
erned?
Shall we abandon just resistance
to European encroachment upon the
Western Hemisphere in order to min
gle in the controversies of Europe and
Asia?
Nebraska, standing midway between
the oceans, will contribute her full
share toward the protection of her
coast; her sons will support the flag at
home and abroad, wherever the honor
and the interests of the nation may re-
quire. Nebraska will hold up the
hands of the Government while the bat
tie RACES, and when the war clouds roll
away her voice will be heard pleading
for the maintenance of those ideas
which inspired the founders Of our Gov
eminent, and gave the nation it's proud
eminence among the nations Of the
earth
If others turn to thoughts of as-
grandizement and yield allegiance to
those who clothe the land-covetousness
in the attractive garb of national des-
tiny, the people of Nebraska will. If I
mistake not their sentiments, plant
themselves upon the disclaimer entered
by Congress, and expect that good
faith shall characterize the making of
peace as il did the beginning of war
Goldsmith calls upon statesmen:
4" To judge how wide the limits stand
Betwixt a splendid and a happy land
IF some dream of the splendors of a
heterogeneous empire encircling the
globe, we shall be content to aid in
bringing enduring happiness to a hom-
ogeous people, consecrated to the pur-
pose of maintaining "a government of
the people, by the people and for The
peOple''