The record-union., 1898-05-15
PRESEAT-DAY THOUGHTS.
copyrighted by Dave & Tabor,
BY Memo"

(COpyriRhteQ Dy DaWe ~ ldUOT.J
When the shells of destruction aimed
by steady American hands, hurtled
against the ill-managed Ships and forts
| in Manila harbor. they did much more
than damage the laggard Spain; they
did much more than endear Dewey TO
our hearts; they did much more than
add another to the worlds deeds or
cool courage; they hoarsely sent around
the world a proclamation. It was that
the American heart is once more one
and indivisible. Since the days OF oo,
when the people a.beat their SWORDS
into plow- shares and their spears into
pruning hooks,'' there has. been needed
| just such a strong welding influence as
the present conflict to make the surface
unityof national life unity in deepest
truth. The unity is here. North to
| where some rugged opponents to Sc
cession still imagined dangers in the
southland, South to where equally
sturdy and brave men spoke an occa-
siopal explanatory IT." West to the
| States whose majorities were strong
against the East, whose interests they
misunderstood, East where maritime
basis and vast commercial interests
| interests sometimes foster an apparent
pride--from the peaks of the Sierra
Madre to the ports of the Atlantic,
from the pines of Maine to the palms of
Flor orida-one proud and united indorse-
ment. of Decatur's words has gone UP
OUR country, may she ever be right.
But OUR country, right or wrong
| 1t is sad to be compelled to agree
with John Fiske when he says: The
| Spanish system of Government in
America was 50 thoroughly bad that
| even in the hands of saints it could not
have succeeded 1t was based upon
| two bad things, commercial monopoly
and political despotism."
1t is horrible to realize that peace
| full peasantry has been slain to make a
desert and then to call it Peace" that
a hopeless wall of prolonged agony has
gone up to the quiet skies from thou
sand times five hundred harmless crea-
lures to make a Spanish triumph.
| But tits blessed to be able to say that
we have heard, and we have answered.
Thus just as with all noble causes es-
poused, they bring their own sweet re-
ward, and our reward has come, as |
pointed out last week, in sinking relig-
| ious differences, and now in thrilling US
all with one spirit of kinship and part
| nership in the brave deeds done by our
navy and projected by our army.
| Those poor wretches who have nerved
| us to strike at the rulers who have fat
| tened on misery, have brought us a
greater blessing than we can bring
them. much though they need the food
ships and the clothing, the soothing and
/ the solace of friendly regard and treat
| mcnt They have brought us into vital
unon--we are simply setting straight
paths before their pierced feet.
| 1t is thrilling to note how old war
| leaders of both sides thirty-five years
age have offered their services to the
/ Government, and it is joy to note that
| they long to fight no longer face TO face
| but side by side. This is a grand time
/ in our national history and big with
possibilities Mark. too, how the colcred
men have shown their eagerness to
serve a country that is their country
| too and likely ever to remain so. Then
! the gifts of yachts from the wealthy for
| the mosquito fleet of complete batter
| les of artillery for the front; and SO
| on through lists that the telegraph has
| already made known throughout the
country Even those who in many cases
| have not yet been adopted by us, wish
| to wage conflict in our behalf because
| they believe we are right:
| The passing shadow of some cruel bird of
Unitess the callow brood too apt afar to
/ stray,
And cen the thought of danger to our
/ native lsnd
/ Upstirs the failing heart and joins the
| severed hand.
| May we not so one step further in
|. describing the unifying effects of this
/ righteous war From our kindred across
the sea come approving and friendly
| echoes that speak of the slow healing
| of a still deeper wound and the gradual
J fading of a still older scar. Almost
| for the first time. England has appre-
| ciated our motives, approved our deeds,
| and given us a moral support that pre-
vented the formation of concerted Eu-
ropean action to prevent us from smit-
! ing the Ealefactor. Though our pros
| perity dates from the time when this.
| her western child went out from the
maternal home, yet we no longer dwell
| in the isolation that was once ours, and
we welcome her cordiallty as another
| gain from this war. IN the hearts of
some there now arises the desperate
| hope for a defensive and offensive union
of all English-speaking people. Eng
| land rules the Eastern Hemisphere. the
United States rules the Western. Their
commercial interests are Identical;
| their standards of civilization are the
| same: they speak one language. inherit
! one literature and common traditions,
| and reach toward similar ideals.
Expedience says--united, we double
our resources. Increase our prestige:
| improve our trade prospects; and. in
| the certain guarantee of peace, raise
| the standard of living and increase the
| opportunity for progress of all the
world. Sentiment says--.blood is
/ thicker than water. union with Eng
land means the greatest race. triumph
| the world has ever seen. the ultimate
unversality of the grand old tongue in
which Shakespeare spoke; and the final
and speedy victory of freedom and en-
| lightenment.
1 Let US see to it that we are large
| hearted enough to do our share in that
which. as ambassador Hay thinks. is
coming upon US with the resistless force
of natural law; lest. in the blindness
/ of petty resentment, we be found fight
ing against racial destiny.