Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-10-29
Speech on the Occasion of Chi
Cages Recent Big Peace
Jubilee.
President Of the American Fed
GRAFTON Opposes Further
Annexation.
Thinks We Are in Danger of
Being Drawn Into n Scri-
Gus Conflict.
WOULD PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS

Last week we published the magnificent
Grafton of Archbishop Ireland at the Chi
cago peace jubilee. On the same occa-
sion, but at the Second Infantry armory,
Samuel Gompers, President of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, also delivered
an address, which has been widely conf
mented upon. Because of his promi-
nence in the labor world great interest
attaches to his utterances, and, while we
do not agree with him in all things, we
publish his speech in full, which was as
follows:
''In the midst of our rejoicing over the
success of our arms, it is we'll that we
look to the causes that brought OH our
war with Spain and consider the questions
which have grown out of it, and the at
titude which we, as liberty loving peo-
pie of a great republic, should take in
regard to them.
"What has become of the paeans of
praise for the brave Cubans? Was our
charge against Spain in her refusal to give
the people of that island freedom and in
dependence baseless2 If we admit this,
we at once confess that our war was with
out Just cause; we confess to most griev-
Gus wrong committed. Where is the spirit
of holding out the helping hand i'll aid of
all people struggling for liberty and indie
pendeuce? Where has flown this great
outburst of our sympathy for the self
sacrificing and liberty-loving Cubans? Is
it not strange that now for the first time
we hear that the Cubans are unfit for self
government; that, whether they protest
against it or not, they must be dominated
by us, annexed to us, or become depend
ency of ours?
"Alasl There are some Americans
our y-makers-whose only God is
the almighty-dollar, whose only human
or divine trinity is dividend, interest and
profit-come to the conclusion that if
poor, suffering Cuba can be handed over
to their tender mercies, their Deity and
their deviltry can hold full sway. These
gentry, when there is question between
! liberty and profit, present or prospective,
throw liberty to the dogs as WORKOUT
and threadbare thing of the past
"If we have interviewed in behalf of
Cuba and driven foreign tyrant from her
shores, we have at least authority for our
, action by the appeals of the struggling
) Cubans. But what of the Porto Ricans?
They have not asked our intervention;
| they have not pleaded for annexation.
r They were invaded as military neces-
sity. They number eight hundred thou
sand people, and have not been divided
by fierce conflict. If we give freedom
and independence to Cuba, to which she
is entitled, is there any justification for
our enforced conquest and annexation of
) Porto Rico?
Hawaii we have annexed, irrespective
of the wishes of the people, who were not
asked whether the constitution under
which they have recently lived meets with
S their approval. Nor was annexation i'll
S its direct or indirect form ever given to
/ them for decision. The flag of our coun-
e try waves in Hawaii over a people SUBJ
jected by our superior force, in fragrant
J, violation Of the consent of the governed
"In the case of the PHILIPPINES we have
t the question repeated, only in a much
o more aggravated form.
v "There is even now a strife going on
among the nations of the earth for the
q partition and possession of Eastern conn.
Q tries. Let us take the Philippines and ",
shall be in the midst of the conflict. w,
= shall have to follow the monarchical pol
- icy of large standing armies, with i'm
. mense navies mot always voluntary. w,
:, shall not only have to bear the heavy bur
II dens of debt and taxation exceeding
x that of other nations, but we will com,
II to that point against which the genius o
70 our institution revolts-compulsory mill
Il tary duty.
d 1--WE do not oppose the development o
d our industry, the expansion of our com
a merce, or the power and influence which
Ie the United States may exert upon In,
:, destinies of the nations of the earth
e On the contrary, we realize that til,
Al higher intelligence and standard of lif,
,, of the American workers will largel,
: contribute toward attaining the highes
y pinnacle of industrial and Commercial
a greatness; and these achievements in tn,
l. paths of peace will glorify the institutions
4 of our republic, to which the grateful
a eyes and yearning hearts of the people O
:, the earth win turn for courage and inspi
!. ration to struggle onward aud upward
y so that the principles of human liberty
and human justice may be implanted il
their hands.
"The flag of our republic should floa
> over free people, and must never form
:. cloak to hide slavery, barbarism, des
!" potisn or tyranny. America, as we kno,
a it, with its blessings of peace and stabil
at ity, must not be hazarded for a new er