Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-06
FORAKER OPENS CAMPAIGN
Devotes Portion Of His Speech to the War
and It's Results.
PROUD Of HIS PART IN FORGING ISSUE
Fnvors Giving Cabn II Government of
Its own ana Holding Porto
Rico ana the Philippines
PRAISES Mc1N inicy.

! WOOSTER, o., Oct. 1.-THE republicans Of
this (Wayne) county opened the fall cam
paign here today, Senator Joseph b. Foraker
being the principal speaker. His address
was frequently interrupted by the applause
from the large audience present.
! Senator Foraker opened with an eulogy
OF Governor Bushnell and review of his
administration in Ohio, following with "a
like tribute to President Mckinley, with a
review of his national administration, de-
voting most of his speech to the war with
Spain, and the problems which followed 1t.
In speaking of the Monroe doctrine, he
reviewed the oppression in Cuba during
President Grants administration and held
that the cause of humanity then called for
assistance He pictured Spanish tyranny in
the West Indies most graphically until he
reached the period of Weylerism, when he
was as fierce in his utterances as the former
captain general was in his cruelties. The
senator stated that after 5000 lives had
been lost through RECOMMENDATION and other
expressions, that the cause Of humanity
called loudly for interference. Congress
waited until the president exhausted every
effort in diplomacy.
After reviewing the struggles of the in
that led to the American congress declaring
war against Spain and took radical issue
with those who opposed that action, in
Guiding ex-Secretary Sherman, who recently
in an interview said THE entire RESPONSE
bility for the war with Spain rests upon
the shoulders of congress. 1t was congress
that declared war and delivered to Spain an
! insulting and eXasperating proclamation.
1t was not necessary for us to go to wa
with Spain. / could have arranged a treaty
by which Spain would have peacefully re-
| tired from the island of Cuba. Spain was in
dire need of money at that time and 1 be-
lieve that for less than, 100000, 900 she
would have called her soldiers home and
| given to the Cubans such a system of
autonomy as would have rendered them
practically Independent"
Entitled to Independence.
Senator Foraker proceeded:
| Other distinguished statesmen of our party
| spoke to the same effect. One said the war
! was not only unnecessary, but the work of
! yellow journals, demagogues and politicians.
| IL IS scarcely necessary now to say that the
| action of congress was not premature, or
| inappropriate, but fully warranted. / had
| no patience with the proposition that Spain
| should receive compensation for her evacua-
| tlon OF the country she had misgOverned for
centuries and despoiled and desolated.
There has been much said recently about
ncompetency and mismanagement on ac-
count of which our :rCops nave suffered
severely. No doubt there have been some
mistakes. 1t would have been remarkable
| If there had not been. but a full investiga-
| tion will vindicate the zeal and patriotism
| the courage and the integrity of all who
| have been assailed. All have only tears for
| the dead and those who have been stricken
| with disease and overtaken with afflicton
These are the inseparable features OF all
wars, and Notwithstanding all that may have
| occurred of this character. the fact remains
| that the record of the three months during
which that war continued is the most brill
| liant chapter in American history, 1t has
| scarcely an equal in the annals of the
| world. Almost before we realized thai we
were. at war Spain was suing for peace.
Two of her navies had been completely de-
| stroyed and one of her largest armies had
been defeated and compelled to surrender.
BuiIded Wiser Than We Knew.
| In this war we have builded wiser than
we knew. Our fathers of the revolution did
! not take up arms for independence, but only
| resistance OF tyranny. Events broadened
| their purpose. Lincoln called for troops to
| save the union. but events broaaened his
| purpose, and slavery was abolished. Our
initial action had reference only to Cuba
| but Spain reckoned for war generally and
| thus widened the field so as to include
Porto Rico and the Philippines. and thus
| territorial acquisitions of incalculable i'm
portance. We have also learned some lessons
We have learned that it is not
wise to be wholly or partially unpre-
pared for war, 1t is wise maxim still
| that in time of peace we should prepare for
war. at least to the extent of maintaining
| an army and navy commensurate with our
wealth and population and interests and in
| this connection We have learned that we
| cannot depend upon great wealth or great
1 ma fri tnfi iefo, a1 Fnr
| our national defense. 1t was our good for
! tune that the long peace since our civil war
! was interrupted by trouble with Spain rather
| than with England or some other great
| power able to strike at once. We have
learned the necessity for coast defenses, a
good navy and good army, both adequate
| In numbers as well as quality. We have
learned another thing, and that is that the
! Nicaragua canal is essential not only to
commerce. but also to our efficient defense
was required to sail 10000 miles farther
! than would have been necessary il it could
have crossed the isthmus. and now with
the Iowa as a consort it has started to re-
turn TO the Pacific and it Is estimated that
! it will require three months to pass from our
| eastern to our western coast and reach their
destination
Questions of The Hour.
! The great questions of the hour are what
shall we do for Cuba? What shall we do
with Porto Rico? What particularly with
the Philippines? So far as Cuba Is con-
cerned there should be no question what
ever The Cubans have earned their inde-
| pendence. We have solemnly declared not
only that they are free and independent
but also that they shall have a government
Of their own choosing. We must keep our
promise and we will. But this promise of
independence to Cuba dues not apply to
: Porto Rico or to the Philippines. We took
these Islands by the conquest of war, and
they are ours. / do not know what the
treaty Of peace now being prepared in Paris
| will provide. but / sincerely hope it will
/ give to the United States not simply a coal
! ing station or a single island, but the whole
group Of Philippine islands. Under our pro-
! lection and since they have intelligence and
/ prosperity, we can feel sure Of regaining
our share Of the trade Of China and Japan.
The possibilities with China are far greater
All the nations are struggling for their share
of the trade to be developed when China
has been opened up to communication and
commerce with The world. The United
Sfatps must have her full fair Shara in