Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-01-05
DANGER FOR THE NATION.
Col. Bryan's Refurn-TaAl-s ON k1x-
pansion and the American
Flag.

Upon his return to his home in Lin
coln. Neb., few days ago Col w. J.
Bryan was given royal welcome by the
members of the Women's Bimetallic
league, and at banquet given in his
honor Col. Bryan said:
at had five months Of peace In the army
and resigned in order to take part in a
tight. I am as much interested in the peo-
pie of the United States as am in the
people of Cuba, and unless am mistaken
In Judging we are called upon to meet more
important problems in the United States
Just now than will confront our army In
Cuba.
''The American people have not accepted
the gold standard as final. It has wrought
more injustice in our country during the
last rs years than Spain has wrought In all
her colonies, and opposition to 1t viii grow
until the gold and silver coinage OF the con-
stitution Is fully restored. The trusts which
now flourish in defiance OF law are more
mercfless than Weyler was, and the new
tIust-the paper money trust which Is seek
ing to obtain control Of all the paper money
of the nation-is a greater menace to the
country's welfare than any foreign foe.
There are, however. two new questions
which demand immediate attention be-
cause congress Is asked to act upon them
at once. The president recommends that
the regular army be permanently increased
to 100000 men. This question must be met
now or not at all"
On the subject Of imperialism, Mr..
Bryan said: THE president has misin-
terpreted the sentiment of the people.
They are opposed to giving the Philip
pine islands back to Spain, but they
have not as yet declared in favor OF en-
barking upon colonial policy. So
great a change, he said, could not be
undertaken without more investigation
and elaboration than the people had
yet given to the subject. The principal
Part of Mr.. Bryan's speech was de-
voted to the Philippine question. In
this connection he referred to President
McKinley's inquiry: 'Who will haul
down the fag?" and replied:
''The flag is a national emblem and is
obedient to the national will. 1t was made
for the people; not the people for the nag.
When the American people want the nag
raised, they raise it: when they want 1t
hauled down, they haul It down. The nag
was raised upon Canadian soil during the
war of 1872, and it was hauled down when
peace was restored. The flag was planted
upon Chapultepec during the war with
Mexico. and it was hauled down when the
war was over. The morning papers an
nounce that Gen. Lee ordered the flag
hauled down in Cuba the other day because
It was raised too soon. The flag will be
raised in Cuba again ON the LIST of January.
but the president declares in his message
that it will be hauled down as soon as a
sta BILE government is established. Who will
deny to the people the right to haul the
flag down in the Philippines, If they so de-
sire, when a stable government is estab-
lished there?
"Our nag stands for an indissoluble union
Of indestructible states.
''Shau we keep the Philippines and amend
our flag? Shall we add a new star-the
blood star, Mars-to indicate that We have
entered upon a career of conquest? Or
shall we borrow the yellow, which in 1895
was the badge Of gold and greed, and paint
Saturn and his rings, to suggest a carpet
bag government with its schemes of spolia-
ticn? Or shall we adorn our flag with a
minor stars representing remote and in
significant dependencies?
"a thousand times better to haul down
the stars and stripes and substitute the
flag of an Independent republic than to sur
render the doctrines that give glory to old
Glory It was the flag of our fathers In
years that are gone; 1t IL the flag Of q re-
united country to-day: let it be the flag
Of our nation in thu years that are to come.
It's stripes of red tell Of the blood that was
shed to purchase liberty; its stripes OF
white proclaim the pure and heavsn-born
purpose of a government which derived its
just powers from consent OF the governed.
The mission Of that flag Is to float-not over
conglomeration of commonwealths-but
over the land of the free and the home Of
the brave and to that mission 1t must re-
main forever true-forever true.