The herald., 1898-10-06
Men OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOLD A REUNION AT OMAHA'S
EXPOSITION
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL
Voices His Views on Americas Duties
Growing Out of the War With
Spain
Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
OMAHA, Oct. 5.-This afternoon at 230
President G. w. Wattles of the Transmits
sissippi Exposition called the audience Of
Pennsylvanians to order at the Auditorium.
General Chas. F. Henderson welcomed the
visitors. Responses were made by John
Woodside of Pennsylvania, chairman of
the State Commission. He introduced
Postmaster-General Charles Emory Smith,
who spoke as follows:
Smiths Address
Postmaster-Ge General Smith said in part:
"With our monumental victory We face
new epoch in the history of the republic.
We come to broader outlook, whose deep
import it is we'll for us to consider. The
world knows our ampler reach and our
larger destiny, and We feel It, No true
American can be insensible to the in
creased respect Of our country and to the
higher conception of Its mission, which
the marvellous revelations of war have
| inspired in all lands. The embattled farm
ers at Lexington fired the shot heard round
the world, and not less distinctly and sig
nificantly did the opening shot of this war
under the glittering consultations of the
OTlcHL TcSOuuu III every Cdptdl VI Tie
globe and awaken a new understanding of
Americas onward movement. 1t is re-
cognized that the United States advances
to it's place as one Of the great powers, and
whatever may be our policy, whatever
may be the measure Of out just restraint,
or our legitimate ambition no American
can fail to feel an honorable pride In the
new distinction, never before approached,
Ixr,I>i inH ND
craftsmanship have brought to our re-
public.
Equal to every crisis in the past, we
shall deal with this new emergency in the
true American spirit. 1t makes us re-
sponsible for Cuba. 1t gives us Porto Rico
1t plants our outpost on the farther side
of the globe. Whatever we hold whether
1t be more or less, will be held not for ter
ritorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT, but solely In ac-
ceptance of responsibilities which Provi-
dence has laid upon us. Men lightly talk
Of imperialism" Our Imperialism is not
territorial lust, but benignant trade ex-
pansion and civilizing influence, and our
flag Is at Manila not in any spirit of spolia-
ton. not In either the greed or the glory
of conquest but let 1t be reverently sadd,
under the controlling force of a providen-
tial guidance, with the ripe hour in the
development and requirements of our ma
tional growth.
"It is treated in many quarters simply as
question of territorial expansion, but
that is a secondary and incidental consid-
Grafton. The great and overshadowing
question is one of commercial opening.
The heart of the issue is not mere terri
tory, but trade necessities and facilities,
Reyond and behind and beneath this de-
parture lies the broad problem of Ameri-
cas- destiny In the commerce and civili-
cation of the world.
1.-The Pacific is rightfully within our
commercial sphere. We hold one shore
and we are nearest there. Europe must
cross two oceans to the Orient and we
but one. Why should we not peacefully
and providentially avail ourselves of the
commercial advantages within our grasp?
Shall we be worthy of our high mission?
II have full faith in my countrymen. 1
believe in the spirit and capacity of the
American people. This war and its tre-
mendous questions has given us a new ele-
walton and dignity and purpose How it
has dwarfed and diminished our domes-
tic differences and our petty contentious.
How it has kindled the patriotic fires and
QulCkeIleu lAc True national instincts.
How 1t has lifted us up to higher plane
of consciousness and to broader view of
national greatness. In the large work be-
fore us of governing and developing our
new possessions, of ameliorating and ad-
vancing the conditions of the new peo-
pie who have been brought under the pro-
tecting folds of our flag. and of achieving
the fullness of the new possibilities with
in our grasp, there Is call for all that is
best in our American courage and states
manship and character.
''There is call for thoughtful and patri-
otic devotion on the part Of the people. In
dealing with great questions which con-
Germ the future of our country and its re-
lations to the world there ought to be no
room for narrow partisanship. Let us con-
fine our partisan differences to domestic