The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-17
Secretary Longs Speech.

Secretary of the Navy John D. Long was
next introduced. He received an ovation
second only to that Of the President. He
was cheered to the echo, and even Pres
ident Mckinley rose and waved his napkin
in salute with the audience. Some one in
the balcony called for three cheers for
"Dewey's friend" Mr.. Long said:
There is one disadvantage which at
taches to man who is prominently good
everybody else is glad Olga chance to give
him a rap. 1t is the same with Massachu-
Setts-eVeryb body in other States admires
and reveres her, and yet with the instinct
OF human nature, takes especial delight in
finding some slightest spot upon her glori-
Gus disc. Last week in Washington the
thermometer ran lower than ever before in
the memory of it's oldest inhabitant Some
depraved but ingenious person discovered
that Just at that time railroad excursion
from boston mad brought 10 the national
capital hYe carloads of your best citizens
mostly female, as usual. AS a Massach hui
sets man have been on the defensive ever
since at the White House. l have, there
fore, brought the President on at this time
and, of course, the rest of the Cabinet in
sisted on coming, tOo-to prove that if there
Is spot on the face of the earth where
hearts are warm, where hospitality is I'M
bounded, and where the head of the Nation
and his departmental staff are welcome, it
is in this hub of the universe. l am sure
they VIII now go back convinced of that
fact
Il made an express stipulation that the
make speeches, with the exception of the
postmaster general, who is our orator par
excellence. You have now heard the Presi-
dent and the postmaster general utter their
statement of our relations to our new
foreign possessions. What can | add? The
treaty of peace with Spain, thank heaven,
has been ratified. And while unfortunately
the delay in its ratification may be account
able for the recent bOCdshed at Manila, the
discussions which preceded ii have not been
without their value in an honest presenta-
ton of all phases OF the situation and in
holding the country to the highest ideals
of national duty and honor.
CAUSE FOR CONGRATULATIONS
1T is certainly cause for congratulation
that the extreme imperialists who resisted
the treaty have been signaIly overthrow.
BY resisting its ratification they have been
insisting upon the EXTREMIST imperialism
and have out-Heroded Herod. They not only
would have prolonged the war with Spain,
but would have taken out Of the hands of
the people and put into the hands of one
man, the President absolute authority over
the Philippines, limited only to the in
definite scope of what is called the war
power, welded by a purely military arm
holding q naked sword. Think of that for
Imperialism. 1t IS a great credit to the
President that. like those two other modest
candidates, Julius Caesar and George Wash
ington, he has refused this offer of a kingly
crown On the contrary, the good old dem
Ocratic plan has been adopted of putting
the disposition OF these islands into the
hands of the American people, who will duly
express their will through their representa-
tiVes in Congress assembled. 1 have no
doubt that the President is delighted TO have
the elephant off his hands and on theirs. II
Is a very cold day when he gets left.
AS an outside observer, L have been
struck with the various methods in which
this subject Of the Philippines has been dis
cussed. One OF these methods may be
styled as the oratorical decamatory On
the one hand this method has found express
sion in saying that the duty of the Ameri-
which 1t puts its claws reminding one OF
Abraham Lincoln's story OF the modest
farmer, who said that all the lands he