The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-06
PENNSYLVANIA
DAY AT OMAHA
[Conchded from Page IL

yond the deep. The whole scene of
the war was on foreign soil and in a |
tropical cline, under burning skies and
drenching torrents, with the blight OF
fever and the danger of pestlence In
the face Of such difficulties what a swift
and wonderful triumph!
THE SHOT AT SUMTER.
When we remember that the shot at
Sumter was fired on the 18th of April
and the first shock of arms at Bull Run
almost within sight of Washington came
on the 21st of July, and when we recall
that the war against Spain, with equal
want of preparation, was declared on
the 21st of April and. after heroic cam
paigns in two hemispheres, the success
which compelled peace was consam-
mated on the 14th of July, We can APP
preciate the rapidly and energy of the
direction. The resplendent victories of
Manila and Santiago, the swift creation
and mobilization of n military force
equal to the contending armies with
which Napoleon and Wellington decid-
ed the fate of Europe at Waterloo, the
annihilation of two Spanish fleets AMI
the capture of two Spanish armies the
complete extinction of Spanish colonial
power, once the pillar of the mightiest
empire on earth-all this accomplished
in a hundred days, with march of sue
cess absolutely unbroken and a magni-
tuue Oh result SUN anu
with a loss all told, including tie raw
ages of disease. far less in proportion
to the number involved than that Of any |
other war of history! A hundred days |
of triumph and a whole genera tion of |
forward movement. Such in word is |
the matchless story. You can place |
your single hand before your eyes and !
cover the sun. But it does not become a |
great people exhibiting such heroism and |
worthy of such leadership to permit the |
imperisaable glory found Importance to |
be dmmed or its profound Importance to |
be obscured by sinister design or by mag |
nifying and misunderstanding the cost |
and hardship which so with all achieve
ments.
This war has opened a new career and |
we ioyfully turn from it's thrilling drama
to the grandeur of the peaceful mission
which 1t ushers in. We turn to the con-
temptation of peace and its duties with
the consciousness of a new position and
a new power. We have stepped out on
the broad stage of the worlds action;
we have advanced from continental do
mnion to world influence; we have moved
out of the isolation of great but still
| limited and self-circumscribed sphere into
| the large arena of the worlds activities;
and If in this departure there are the
risks and possibilities which attend all
| human progressive enterprise there are
| also necessities and obligations from
which we cannot shrink and opportunities
and glories which beckon us onward.
MONUMENTAL VICTORY.
with our monumental victory we face
| new epoch i'm the history of the Re-
public. We come to n 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 insensiblo to
|
| to the higher conception of its mission
| which the marvellous revelations of this
| war have inspired in all lands. The en-
| battled farmers at Lexington fired the
shot heard round the world; and not less
| distinctly and significantly did the open
| ing shot of this war under the slittering
| consultations of the Orient resourd in
every capital of the globe and awaken
a new understanding of America ; on
| ward movement. 1t is recognized that
the United States advances to its place as
one of the great world powers and what
ever may be our wise policy whatever
| may be the measure of our just restraint
or our legitimate ambition, no American
can fail to feel an honorable pride in the
new distinction ard the new consldc?a-
iOn, never before approached, which
American herosm and American states
manship have brought to our Republic.
The worlds acknowledged tribute is
! Inc measure OF It's estimate OF the iiO-
tCnCy of our new position. Our use of
that position will be the measure of
our wisdom and rulership. Equal to
| every crisis in the past we shall deal
| with this new emergency in the true
American spirit 1t makes us rcspunsi-
bic for cuba. 1t gives us Porto Rico. 1t
plants our outpost ON the farther side
Of the globe. Whatever we hold, whether
it be move or less. will be held not for
territorial aggrandizernent, but solely in
acceptance of responsibilities which Prov
idcnCc 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
spoliation, not in either the greed or the
glory of conquest, but, let it be reverent-
ly said, under the controlling force of n
proVidential guidance, at the ripe hour
in the DEVELOPMENT and requirements Of
our national growth.
For the condolences are clear and un-
miStakable. This war came just at the
time when we needed broader CONNER
| cial scope and new outlets. 1t came just
at the time when all the great powers
ar engaging in "A keen, Vigilant and ag-
| gressive rivalry of trade opportunity and
extension. 1t came just at the time when
the ancient and colossal empire of China,
with a quarter of the world population,
time when we were turning our longing
eyes across the Pacific for a share of the
trade and when we needed a base of COM
| merCial enterprise in the Orient. And
the thunder of our cannon at Manila, un-
der the sudden uplifting of a veil which
no vision could have penetrated, gave us
| in day the prestige, the position and the
| opportunity which years of ordinary his
tory and endCaVor would never have
brought.
1t is treated in manv quarters simply
Il as Il question of territorial expansion,
but that is a secondary and incidental
; consideration. The great and overshad-
owing question is one of commercial
openings. The heart of the issue is not
more territory but trade necessities and
facilities. Beyond and behind and be-
meath this departure lies the broad prob
lem of Americas destiny in the com
merce and civilization of the world,
Others speak, and rightly speak, of what
is due to those darkened people to whom
our starry flag has brought the radiant
sunshine of hope and life; let me sug-
gcst what is due to ourselves and our
, future i'm the steady march of our de-
Velopmcnt. our growth has been so ma r.
VclOus that we need new opportunities
and our fate is so happy that the oppor-
tunites are here for our taking. The
imperial Louisiana acquisition, in the
, heart of which we now stand and which
, | has become the seat of twelve mighty
states and fifteen millions of happy
; people, was dictated by the demand fol
! the commercial outlet of the Mississippi
| and under the stress of that necessity
I Thomas jefferson broke away from ole
2 ideas and rose TO a larger statesman
5 ship. our need today, like that of q
| hundred years ago, is for commercial
q outlets, and il is for the descendants ol
| ia N M