The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-01-13

ana deelt00 At the voters in the matter Of noGa.
is still Q problem commanding the attention Of
the most earnest students Of political economy
IN nearly all Of the state: While the fact IL
recognized that lack OF interest In primary
party caucuses is largely responsible for the
unsatisfactory results frequently complained Of
IN county and state conventions, 1t must be ad-
mttte6 that many OF the present evils can be
done away with by the adoption Of O. primary
election law that will bring party primary
meetings under state supervision and control.
such a law need not be burdensome or expen-
sive In its operation and respectfully urge
that q primary election law be made the sub
1ect of most careful and favorable considera-
tion.
Militia.
The treaty Of peace with Spain having been
signed, and as the country begins to assume its
normal condition, we, as citizens Of North Da-
,k0taa naturally turn our attention to the Philip
pine islands, where our two batallions Of In
fantry (once our national guard) are now sta
toned We have reason to point with pride to
the record they have made for themselves and
for the state. The good news of so small per
cent Of casualties and sickness In our regiment
10 cause for thankfulness, and we congratulate
ourselves that we have been 90 extremely fortu-
nate and trust that the future may bring even
better conditions. When our regiment returns
home we will miss from the original rolls the
names OF the following brave and patriotic men:
John Morgan, Company H. and Ole Ladken,
Company K, who have answered the last roll
call and command and In response to taps the
our sympathy and condOle with the bereaved
relatives. comrades and friends.
1t has become demonstrated that our military
laws, as now constituted. are mere matter Of
experiment. and In order to obtain the best re-
suits, complete revision would be found neces-
sary.
As the future will see the national guard Of
the different states the volunteer army Of the
nation, would respectfully recommend that our
laws governing the , militia , be revised :, or 90
with those adopted by congress governing the
United States regular and volunteer army, espe-
az t. and ind so,n
ment be furnished by the state and that no
yearly cash allowance be made companies for
that purpose.
ThirdlThat a system Of medical examination
be adopted for the purpose Of placing our mill
tia in a more efficient condition fsr the field In
time of emergency.
Fourth-That the appropriation made for the
purpose of carrying out the provisions OF the
military code be wise and conservative but
ample.
And would further recommend as a matter
Of appreciation and fairness that a bill be
passed allowing Those companies In the service
Of the government the annual armory rent for
the year ending June 30. 1890. the same as those
companies remaining in the state. as many Of
the companies own their own arniories, but still
owe small debt on them.
Favors Expansion.
In this connection 1 am reminded that we
have recently been made to realize that we are
not an isolated state. but an active member OF
part OF this victorious nation. rejoice with
you that the brave and stalwart CONS Of this
state have helped to break the letters which
bound millions of souls. Their cry for help.
their hands outstretched in supplication, were
not passed unheeded. but our people gave OF
their substance. yes. many gave their lives Tor
the oppressed And now with the return OF
peace. while rejoice that tho late war was
free from great losses to our forces, espe-
cially upon the and in the Far East. what
shall BIO attitude toward the wider oppor-
tunities that have opened up before our coun-
try? In other words, shall wo lend our influ-
ence for or against expansion" I, for one, am
for expansion. 1t i'll becomes q citizen of this
state, and, indeed, of the whole Northwest. to
say anything against expansion, fer this state.
together with every one of our neighboring
states, is fruit of that same policy-eXpan-
sion. Perhaps some of its opponents are not
aware that less than one hundred years ago
. most OF the vast domain west of the Missis-
sippi river belonged to France, and was known
by the name OF Louisiana--a vast tract ex-
tending northward from the mouth Of the Mis-
sissippi river to the Dominion of Canada. and
westward to the Pacific ocean; tract now dis
vided into seventeen states and territories. COM
prisng in the neighborhood of 1,2OO0O0 square
miles-more than one-third of the total area of
the United States; and this was bought in
; 1903 for song-$11, $50, 0UG-less than $40 a
square mie-because Napoleon Bonaparte, then
first consul Of France, happened to be In need.
Had it not been for expansion North Dakota
would now be French territory. and its broad
: acres would not know the civilization which
adorns them. To be sure, the Louisiana
at the beginning OF this century, and no one re-
joces more than we that they failed.
Did you ever realize that by far the greater
rart of the territory of the United States was
sssobtained through the policy of expansion?
After the purchase of Louisiana in 1903 came
that OF Florida in 1921 territory extending
none Of the original thirteen colonies having
had All outlet to the Cuff Of Mexico. Then
from 1916 to 1873 Texas. New Mexico. Utah
and California acquired. and in 1867
, Alaska
1 have dwelt somewhat at length on this
question of expansion. first to show that it has
results results: and. second because it is 60
ing to be LIVING question lion oft Of the he
solving the problems that confront the fed
eral government Judging from all our glo-
rious paxt. YOU will doubtless agree with me
tfat the policy OF expansion is the correct one
for national government to follow The
soil of these various islands Of the sea has
been baptized with heroic blood in the cause
OF liberty and thereby n ade sacred In our
eyes and we cannot lightly abandon it. Our
flag has been flung to the breeze, and we cam
not withhold the promise of freedom that 1t
gave Who're our loved and honorcd brave
row Steep. thitEer cur thoughts shall ever fond
, their Welfare I'm Our Keeping.
Resides through destiny. as l believe, the
welfare Of about 10. 900, oco Of people has been
placed in our keeping. Our duty to them does
not erd with striking OF their chains and driv-
Ing their OpErcSSOrS OUR, nut we ENst see thaL
they become erect and free with all the quail
ties of mind and soul that men and w,men in
this age ought to possess. Feters Of darkness
must still lie stricken from the mind; ignorance
and supers tition must. with oppression theic
creator be put to flight. AS freedom and COM
merce will follow the flag the flag must be
planted even farther forward in the domain Of
darkness and oppression and be there main
tanned until the many blessings which 1t SYM
bOlzes are enjoyed
There are in the world to-day twenty.to, re-
pJNli ~ arc Western
hemisphere: three Of them are in Africa. ami
two Of them in Europe. Only one of them.
Switzerland ante-dates the United States
Doubtless the other twenty-five drew their In
spration from our republic The torch OF lib
erty for these many lands was lighted Mt our
altar ire, and while other peoples that hereto
fore have sat in darkness crave the same boon,
we cannot deny them.
To be sure. the party to carry our country sue
cessfully through all the perplexties that shall
arise, must be the party that is truest to our
national ideals: the party Of free, enlightened
and universal ballot; the party Of an honest dol
lar the party that does not bcget dtstr,lst but
which loyalty upholds all our l'enetcent insti-
tutons and is willing to meet all our obligations
1 congratulate you. gentlemen. and through
YOU l congratulate the entire state, on the
prosperity. which during the past several years
has blessed our broad domain, and rewarded the
patience industry and enterprise of our people.
The suffering OF the pioneer has been turned to
ioy: the struggle with unframed nature has at