Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-08-04
PATRIOTIC PICNIC.
j. n. BARKER AND GEO. ROBERT.
SON, OF THIS CITY, ADDRESS
THE LARGE CROWD.
Wellsville Crowded Saturday With
Patriots, Old and Young-A
Splendid Gathering En-
joyed BY All.


Splendid Gathering En-
joyed By All.
Wellsville had q large patriotic pic
mic last Saturday in honor OF our
heroes in the war with Spain. The
business houses and residences were
all decorated and a gala day was
enjoyed by the people who gathered
from miles around. Hon. ]. Nj. Barker
and Hon. Geo. Robertson, of this city,
were among the orators of the day.
Mr.. Robertson was introduced by
the Chairman, Rev. o. 8. Basford,
and in way of Introductory remarks,
said: 'tThis occasion has brought us
all together, not as Democrats, Repub-
licans or Populists, but as American
citizens and patriots, rejoicing in the
success of our army and navy, and to
consider, in some degree, the relation
of our country to the world" Then
he proceeded to address the assem-
blage as follows:
| Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
A few days ago I observed in q
party newspaper published in Wash
ington, q statement as to the causes of
the different vars had by the United
States, and in giving the u of the
war of this country with Spain, said it
is a war OF the newspapers.
While it is true that the newspapers
both yellow and reliable-have done
q great deal of talking about Cuba,
Spain, and the duty of the United
States towards q people engaged in q
struggle for liberty, and about aveng-
ing the Maine, a large amount of 1t is
merely the statement of the many
misrepresentation of the many editors
of the true conditions and the real
causes of the war.
1 am very much afraid that the edi-
tor of the Washington paper has not
looked very far beneath the surface,
or he would have learned that the
great amount of newspaper talk is
merely a discussion of an old question
made prominent on the western HEM
isphere by a attempt to continue the
administration Of a despotic form OF
Government to a people who have
imbibed somewhat of the spirit of
personal liberty maintained by their
nearest neighbor.
CAUSES FOR THE WAR.
The real causes have their origin in
the differences between civil liberty,
as administered under the old Roman
government and those governments
deriving their methods and institu-
tions from it, and as administered by
a modern republic. In the former
there is always assumed the existence
of a personal sovereign, from whom
all personal rights and privileges ema-
mated, while in the latter civil liberty
is q negation of general restraint upon
the citizens, and all political power if
vested directly in the people and en-
anates from them, because they are
the sovereign power, and it is not q
thing to be granted or dealt out to
them bya personal sovereign, who ex-
e~rcises the right Of q general restraint
Just these differences between Spain
and her Colonies in America has made
Cuba a hot bed of revolution and civi
strife for a period of ninety years, ant
during all that time there has beer
going on in that island q coniic
between the American idea of govern
ment and the Spanish idea, with al
the necessary c~oncomitants of q civi
disturbance.
Because of this condition right a
our door, hsrrassing our commerce
distracting our own peace and quiet
ude, the United States has, out o
self Interest and sympathy for a peo
pie long engaged in an unsuccessful
struggle for liberty, felt called upon Il
command the public peace, and en-
force it, If necessary, by a resort Il
arms.
The United States, in this matter
occupies very much the position o
the constabulary. of a country who's,
duty is to preserve the public peace
and maintain it often by the use of the
policcman's club.
Spain has made no progress in thu
last three hundred years. Her idea
all belong to the middle ages. Sh'
was once powerful and great Al
nations have been great, and with he
) past she seems to be satisfied, and viii
not bestir herself to keep the onwart
progress of other nations of the earth
She seems not to believe there
any such thing as progress.
\, An eminent writer on civilization
says Of the Spanish people:
"To them antiquity is synonymou
with wisdom, and every improvement
is a dangerous innovation. Ia thi
state Europe fingered for many cen
turtles; in this state Spain still fingers
Content with what has been be
queathed, the Spaniards are EXCLUDES
from the great European movement,
which, first clearly perceptible in tn
sixteenth century, has ever since bee
steadily advancing, unsettiing oil
opinions, destroying old follies, re
forming and improving on every sid'
influencing even such barbsrous coun
tries as Russia and Turkey, but leav
ing Spain untouched. While Europ
is ringing with the noise of i%ntellectu'
achievements, with which ever DEF
potic governments affect to sympa
thize, in order that they may divel
them from their natural course an
use them as new instruments whereof
to Cypress yet more the liberties {
the people; while, amidst this gener'
din and excitement, the public mins
swayed to and fro, is tossed and ag'
tated-Spain sleeps on, untrouble
unheeding, impassive, receiving u
impressions from the rest Of the worl'
: and making no impressions upon !
Tbera ahe lies Mt the furthe6t extremit