Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-03-17
THE AMLRIC,S SOLDIER.

During the debates in tho last Con
rress on the p.licy II the adm,nis-
tration Ia" ard the Philipriu" Islands,
I'll, Il publicans sought To place the
Democrats in the po~i ION of gues-
,innIng whether a fiiliuino soldier
or All American soldier Was right.
In the course Of a brilliant reply to
this charge Congn ssman Lewis Of
Washington paid III. flowing clo-
qu-nt Tribute t. the American sol.
dier.
Sirs. the iss Ne Is mott cannoi bt.
is II Fillipiu right or an american
right; no tuch NORTH! ing contrast
viii be permitted. No man who will
make II a he DameI -sintcsmab-
nor cIii2 IL who WON'T en lure it bear
with honor III" title Gu american
Sir. let il be known that we hold
the real issue I" be, Was il not wrong
tn enforce the payment from the tax
Farmers anil iaxpaNers II this nation
Of 900 0.GC0 for the ow ncrshiu Of go
distant and disastrous a PISS ssinn rs
the Philli, inc I-lunds? Was il tot
cru-l tn enforce upon the American
farmer and tniler. already bTUKen
vi h hns burdens. the competition Of
a savage and rrmOrsCless race? Was
~ not ,s-tVtn.l -, Is L., n,.l
execute by arms the support i n
military empire which mu / entail
S2Oo. 'uO,OJ per year upon the en-
cunbered free people u our nation?
Shall moi the question br. Where is
she reward Tor such mn undertaking?
Where the justification for such op
preSsive pnlicl? Shall it bc found in
the knowledge that 10 man in this
lay living a exist long enough to
Tor his cIIlteI sacrifice? That life
tn him ~ not lbng cnOu III To ever feel
the burden tighten Tor one hours
length? Rather shall We not tell the
nation that il IL 10y the Orlcrs ~ the
masters III power that thnus nds - 4
our hopeful snnI. our vdlnrou+ yOutb
4 mothers boy, n fathers hope, are Il
perish by my sterious plague; Il Iii,
III cOnsu ming f.vcr, or tO r"iurn--I
ever /" rciurn- the cmaciatcd wreck
OF II once promising lie. Limbs tot
ter ng. checks sunkru aud yell I'VE,
by iii cease; eyes jmnlircd in theiJ
sockets; @sicEli"d n'er with the pail
cast 0f de uh.- Their frames rackinI
with ccaselcss tOriurc-to expire n
last in rrunn nud prayer for hom,
and mo'her. Tie pitiiul c e ~ thri
lifc's bright b~eLrnnIns.
Oh, my cOun'rymcn, here IL tn,
is.uP
II is against the law ~ their Gccc-
'it'; so cry ont the order Of tIri
death; we Oppose the .OnfiSca,inu q
their generation; VIC iight tn the end
The o We weep over their fate
the q We love and cherish theIi
ms they accept and * cute il.
And, as II child when soaring sound
modest.
CIings Close and closer to it's mother
breast.
81 he loud torrent and the cannon
%
But lind him 20 us more and more.
We know where they are; We kno,
what they are doing: we feel all the
feel. and shout on: "brRve boys .
their every Nal Shrek and "God blcs
You To every death thrub.
sAlaa!
Nor wiz nor children more shnll b
behold.
Nor friends nor sHcrnh home
SIR, IL is not .mf al this lIonr I
reason upon their cour a. Il is no
, Tor our opponents Ia charge nor II,
enemies ~ this u nee T.. ipti nn,
that No ar" not NIL cortcious ~ 80
duty. w" mos that Iulc our enI
dietH tight their fight is orr iirh
Hiahi or wrDE their "a usc In az,
cause. Their commander ,u CHI,
ont conmm der .rd.rs nnr con.
/. mnnds. As onr e~llicrs know moi, I
iaitcr ia the honr ~ obedience. ~
scorn T." question the justice uf tie
) "oiirsH. AZ they vn to battle. IL
enough Tor he that The wcnr III
: co'ors OF their rrun ~ follow Il,
: htl II Il reunited American pcnpl,
While they tight IL enemy NO Hv,