Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1899-10-20

OF the men who served IN the
Philippines, but to the patriotism
of those other brave soldiers of
your state, who. less fortunate than
the Manila volunteers, We're not
able to see fighting service in the
field. They did duty as you did
yours, all the volunteers through
out the United States, all of them
agreed to go to the front and do
battle with the enemy like you
who have won the lasting gratitude
Of the American people.
[ come especially that I might
look into the faces of the North
Dakota volunteers, the two bat
talions who saw service on the
battle line in. Luzon; I came that
[ might speak to them, to welcome,
and say we'll done, you did your
duty, and you filed my heart with
JOY when the volunteers and reg
ulars of the eighth arm corps sent
me word as president that you
would remain on the battle line
in Luzon until [ could create a
new army to take it's place.
You refused to beat retreat or
strike your colors in the presence
of the enemy. When the mother
wanted you to come home, you
said:, I'VE will stay and keep the
flag stainless in the presence of the
enemy" And, my fellow citizens,
no soldiers Of any army have had a
more delicate and trying duty.
This army, in which the brave men
from your state departed. remained
in Luzon and awaited first, for the
treaty Of peace which was being
prepared in Paris, then waited for
its ratification by the senate Of the
United States, and then waited
until the exchange of ratifications
between the United States and
Spain; waited through all that
long period, accepting the insol-
ence of the insurgents with dig
nifty, because they were ordered by
the executive of the nation that
they must not strike H. blow until
the treaty of peace except in
defense. | say they bore the in
science of the insurgents with a
patience sublime. We never
dreamed that the little body of in
surgents whom we had just eman-
cipated from oppression, we never
for a moment believed that they
would turn upon the flag thad had
sheltered them against Spain
flag.
And SO our soldier boys, they
simply bore the insolence Of that
little band Of insurgents, and then
it was that the insurgent leader
ordered an attack upon our forces.
| always thought the boys were
quite ready for it. But [ want to
give them the credit due them and
say here, in the presence of there
neighbors and their friends, their
fathers and their mothers, that
they forebore all things rather
than disobey an order from the
government that they were serv-
ing.
The leader Of the insurgent
forces said to the American gov.
ernment: "You can have peace
if you will give us independence. y
Peace for independence, he says.
He had another peace proposition
than that once before, but the
United States pays no gold for
peace. We have never given a
bribe for peace in our history, and
we will not commence today.
Our flag is there. You left it,
boys of the North Dakota regi-
ment; you left it there in the
hands of those who took your
places, without blot and without
stain. And wherever that stan.
dard is raised whether in the
western or the eastern hemisphere.
it stands for liberty, civilization
and humanity.
But, my fellow citizens, I have
already talked too long. This
nation, for nearly century has
never compromised with slavery,
and Abraham Lincoln, God bless
his memory; he who was snatched
from the theatre of fame, became
immortal in the realm of kings.
Abraham Lincoln spoke the pro.
clamation of liberty to all men be-
meath our flag within the United
States, and at Appomatox court
house Grant put that paper pro-
clamation into living fact, and
our flag stands for liberty where
ever it floats.
And we propose to put $1,000
men behind that flag in Luzon to
maintain the authority Of the