Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-12-24
cor. BRYAN,s SPEECH.


Neb., yesterday afternoon, and was last
night rendered reception at the Oliver
Theater by the Woman's Bimetalic
League. The house was crowded, and
Col. Bryan received an ovation. He
was introduced by Gov. Holcomb, who
formally welcomed him home, and COM
plimented him for his patriotism in en-
listing in the army.
After thanking his nsighbors for
their cordial welcome, and compli-
menting the members of his regiment
and Col. Vifquain, in whose charge he
left them, Col. Bryan justified his res
ignation rs follows;
81 had five months OF peace in the
army, and resigned in order to take
part in fight. am IS much interest.
ed in the people of the United States as
l am in the people of Cuba, and, unless
1 an mistaken in judging, we are call.
ed upon to meet more important prob
lens in the United States just now than
will confront our army in Cuba.
"Some of these problems were under
discussion before hostilities began; 9TH
ers have been thrust upon us as re-
suit of the war. Let me improve this,
my first opportunity, to assure you that
| nv zeal for the reforms advocated a
few months ago has not in the least
abated. Vital questions cannot be kill
81 or buried, and we were dealing with
| vital questions when the call to arms
resounded through the land.
IL ~
| cepted the gold standard as final. II
has wrought more injustice in our coun.
try during the last twenty. five years
than Spain has wrought in all her colo
nies, and opposition to it will grow I'M
I'll the gold and silver coinage Of the
Constitution is fully restored. The
trusts, which now flourish in defiance
of laws, are more mercless than Wey.
Ter was, and the new trust-the paper
money trust, which is seeking to obtain
control of all the paper money of the
nstion-is Il greater menace to the
country's welfare than any foreign foe.
"There are, however, two new ques'
tons which demand immediate atten.
ton, because Congress is asked to act
upon them at once. The President
| recommends that the regular army be
permanently increased to 100,0 900 men.
This question must be met now, or not
at ALL
Taking mp the subject ofimperialism,
Mr.. Bryan said that the President had
misinterpreted the sentiment of the
people. They are opposed TO giving
the Philippine islands back to Spain
cut they have not as yet declared il
favor Of embarking upon colonial
policy. So great change, he said,
could not be undertaken without more
investigation and deliberation than
the people had yet given to
the subject. The principal part OF
Mr.. Bryan's speech was devoted to
the Philippine question. In this con-
uection be referred to President Nc
Kinley's inquiry, "Who will haul down
the fag?" and replied: the flag is
national emblem and is obedient to the
national will. 1t was made for the
people, not The people for the flag.
When the people want the flag raised
they raise il; when they want it hauled
down they haul it down. The flag was
raised upon Canadian soil during the
war of 1912, and was hauled down when
! peece was restored. The flag was
| painted upon Chapultepec during the
war with Mexico, aud it was hauled
down when the war was over. The pa
pers announce that General Lee order
ed the flag hauled down in Cuba Thurs
day because it was raised too soon.
The flag will be raised in Cuba
again on the LIST of January,
but the President declares in
his message that it will be hauled down
as soon as stable government is es-
tablshed. Who will deny to the peo-
pie the right TO haul the flag down in
the Philippines il they so desire, when
a stable government is established
there?
Shall we keep the Philippines and
amend our flag? Shall we add new
star-the blood star, Mars-to indicate
that we have entered upon career OF
conquest? Or shall we borrow the
yellow, which in 1896 was the badge of
gold and greed, and paint Saturn and
his rings, 10 suggest carpetbag gov
eminent with its schemes of spoliatiob?
Or shall we adorn our flag with 3
milky way composed of multitude Of
minor stars representing remote and
insignificant independencies?
mo! thousand times better to haul
down the Stars and Stripes and substitute the
flag of an independent republic than to sur.
render the doctrines that give glory to odd
Glory. 1t was the flag of our fathers in the
years that are gone it is the flag of re-
| unii cd country to-day. lot it be the flag of
our nation in the years that are to come. It's
stripes of red tell of the blood that was shed
to purchase liberty its stripes of white pro
claim the pure and heaven-oora purpose of
| government which derived its just powers
| from the consent of the governed. The mis-
sion of that flag is to float, not over con-
| glomeration of commonwealth, but over the
| land of the free and the home of the brave
| and to that mission it must remain, Forever
| true-forever true F."
COMMUNICATED.