The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-05

swept away in the splendid wave of pa
triotism and devotion to country which
mas so recently stirred and filled the
hearts of all our people. To-day we
may in truth quote the lines of the
poet:
"One flag, one land,
one heart, one hand
one nation evermore."
And to-day we may reverently thank
God that our beautiful emblem is at
last what the great Webster hoped and
prayed 1t might become, "a gorgeous
ensign of the republic, now known and
honored throughout the earth
not a stripe erased or polluted, not
single star obscured bearing
for its motto spread all over
in characters of living light, blazing on
all its ample folds as they float over
sea and land that
sentiment dear to every true American
heart, liberty and union, now and for
ever, one and inseparable."
The lessons taught us by the events
which led up to the observation Of this
day are patriotism, love of country, de-
votion to its institutions and loyalty to
it's flag.
Nothing probably in our history has
so served to emphasize and accentuate
these lessons as the circum stances
which have transpired during the past
year.
War Unavoidable.
The war through which we have
passed and some of the results of
which are still annoying US, was un-
avoidable. It was forced upon us by
long list of criminal aggressions on
the part of Spain. directed not only at
Cuba, but at the United States as well.
The American people were already
wrought to high pitch of anger and
indignation over the awful cruelties
and prosecutions practiced upon the
helpless people of Cuba, when occurred
the destruction of the Maine and the
murder of 266 Of her crew. This was
the GROWING infamy in the long list of
Spanish crimes, and then 1t was that
the world was afforded the sub ima
spectacle of mighty nation, at peace
with the whole earth, suddenly rising
in just wrath and pouring out its
blood and treasure like water in de-
Tense of helpless people struggling
against a tyrannical, vindictiye and
inhuman oppressor.
Some one has said that Spain "has
set up more crosses in more lands. be-
meath more skies, and under them has
butchered more people than all the
other nations of the earth comb ned"
Surely no man who has followed his
tory will deny at this day that Spain
richly deserved the defeat and humil-
iation which has befallen her. And all
must admit that the end Of her rule
in the West Indies and in the ORIENT
has removed the only bar to the ad-
vance of civilization and the reign of
happier conditions, in those unfortunate
countries.
Results of the War.
The results of the war as they affect
the United States are. in my judg-
ment, well nigh incalculable from every
point of view. Among other things 1t
has dispelled forever the mistaken no.
ton entertained by European powers,
that as a nation we were lacking in
pride and patriotism and bent upon the
sordid accumulation of wealth. 1t has
demonstrated the marvellous extent and
variety of our national resources. It
has made us acquainted with our own
strength and power. 1t has stimulated
the national pride, broadened the ma
tional vision, quickened the national
conscience and increased our own ma
tional self-respect. 1t has widened the
area of human freedom and extended
the limits of civil and religious liberty
1t has placed us in the very front rank
of the nations of the earth and given
to us place, power and a prest'ge
to which we should have long been
strangers. 1t has added to our flag a
glory and luster which can never
fade. 1t has given new names to the
roster of the earths great heroes, and
hereafter when we read of the great
historic naval battles of the world. we
shall recall with exultant pride Manila
bay and Santiago And when the
names of Howard and Drake and the
great Nelson are called. we shall
proudly answer back with those of Ad-
miral Dewey and Schley and Sampson
and Hobson and all the rest of that
splendid galaxy of heroes whose gal
liant deeds have made the American
navy the envy and the admiration of
the navies of the world
And as upon the sea so also upon the
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