La Junta tribune., 1898-12-24
MUST NOT RETREAT.
NOTABLE spEEcH BY M'k,NLEY.
OatiInss Our Attitude Toward the Phuip-
pises-says We Could Not Recall Dew.
sy's Fleet After Its VictSsy.

1
! Savannah. Ga. Dec. lS.-The recep-
| tion OF President Mckinley and mem
| bers OF his Cabinet by the people of
Savannah yesterday more than equal
cd in hospitality and completeness OF
| arrangemnts any previous experiences
| which have marked the presidential
| "trip in the South.
| AT the banquet last night in the DE
| Soto hotel, where the presidential party
| Is staying, President Mckinley, amid
| frequent applause, addressed an audi
cnce OF over 200 persons.
| In the course OF his speech he said:
There is cause for congratulation.
| that, with the grave problem before us
! growing out OF the war with Spain. we
| are free from any divisions NJ home.
"Our financial and revenue policies
| cannot be changed for mt least four
\ years, and whatever legislation may
be had enectlng them during that peri
od Will he to improve and strengthen.
/ not destroy. them. The public mind
| will therefore repose in reasonable Sc
| curity, while business will proceed
| without apprehension Of serious and
sudden changes so disturbing 10 the
| commercial world and SO distracting to
the business men.
| .'rhe country * free 10 consider and
| discuss new questions VIII ch are imne-
diately before us, unbiased by party or
| political alliances. These new queS-
| tions are 10 be thought out and
wrought out not In II spirit OF par
| tisanship. but In n spirit OF patriotism.
| not for the temporary advantage TO
| one party or TO the other. but for the
lasting advantage Of the country.
/ we have entered upon new paths.
| We are treadiug in an uuexplored
field which will test our wisdom and
! statesmanShip. The chief considera-
/ ton Is one OF duly: our actions must
| be controlled by it. No settlement u ad-
missable which viii not preserve our
| honor and promote the best interests
! OF all concerned. With n united coun-
| try and the gathered wisdom OF all
the people. seeking only the right. in-
spired only by high purposes. moved
only by duty and humanity. we cannot
err. We may be- bafYled or deferred.
/ and often discouraged. bur iinal sue
cess in cause which is altogether un
selfish and humanitarian can only be
| deferred. not prevented.
III. following the clear precepts of
| duty. territory falls TO MS. and the wei
fare of an alien people who require
our guidance and protection. who VIII
shrink from the responsibility. grnce
! though il may he. Can we leave these
4 people. who. by the fortunes OF war
| and our own acts, are helpless and
| without government. 10 chaos and an
archy. after we have destroyed the on
ly government they have had:
after destroying their government
| il Is the duty OF the American govern
| mcnt to provide FOR them n better one.
/ Shall we distrust ourselves. shall we
! proclaim TO the world our inability to
! give kindly government To oppressed
/ peoples. whose future by the victories
of war Is contided TO us: We may
| wish II were otherwise. but who will
question our duty nowt
1T is not II question OF keeping the
| islands of the east. bur OF leaving
them. Dewey and Merritt took them,
and the country Instantly aud uniyer-
| sally applauded. Could we have
brought Dewey away without univer-
sal condemnation nj any time from the
first OF May. the day OF his brilliant
| victory. which thrilled the world with
its holdncss and bcroism2 Was 1t
right to order Dewey to go to Manila
and capture or destroy the Spanish
fleet and dispatch Merritt and his army
| to reinforce him:
IF it We're duty to send them there
| aiu uhty Et'Iuireb iHtui u ItllldHi
there. ii was their clear duly 10 ami
! hilate their fleet. take the city of Ma
| Mia and destroy the Spanish sover-
eighty In the archipelago. Having
| done all this in the line of duty. il
there any less duty to remain there
and give 10 the inhabitants protection
| and also Our guidance TO better gov
ernment which viii secure to them
peace and order and security in their
life and property and In the pursuit of
| happnessI Are we unable to do this z
Are we TO sit down in our isolation and
recognize no obligation to strugglin.
people whose present conditions we
have contributed 10 make:
II would rather have the confidence
of The poet Bryant, when he ex-
1 cIaimed:
=" "'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.
then declare
The date of thy deep founded strength,
or tell
How happy in thy lap the sons of men
| shall dwellt'
''My fellow citizens. whatever cove
nants duty has made for us in the
year 1898, we must keep"
CRITiCISE MR.. BRYAN.