Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-07-05
Tri-City Celebration
Continued From First Page

was a nation "of the people, by the peo-
pie, and for the people, and for that
principle he suffered a martyrs death,
and when he uttered those words it was
true. To-day it is a government of the
people, but by the trusts and for the
trusts, for the concentration of wealth is
the concentration of political power,
Money is power" for by its possession
man can raise himself high in either the
social or political scale. The question is
not, "How much does he know" but
How much is he worth p
The domination of the political power
of the nation by concentrated wealth,
engineered by designing men for that
purpose, can have but one result-revolu-
ton and the reign of martial law.
The other great question is expansion.
and national expansion. The latter is
commercial necessity. We must have
market for our surplus products, and
Western Asia is the natural field for the
Pacific northwest. We deplore the con-
flict in the Philippines. THE Lord
loveth those whom he chasteneth;" and
if it is necessary to punish the Fill
pinos to make them accept the blessing
of civilization and good government, the
end justifes the means. 1t is curious
how history repeats itself Before the
annexation of Mexican territory earnest
men opposed it, men who were as honest
in their opinions as are those opposed to
the policy to-day. | recall the speech of
distinguished senator who opposed the
acquisition of Mexican territory on
moral grounds somewhat similar to the
arguments advanced to-day against the
acquisition of the Philippines. Allow
me to repeat it as an interesting argument
and eloquent plea of a master of oratory
Rising from his seat i'll the senate he
said 'Mr. President n We
annexed California and New Mexico, and
who will assert we made mistake? And,
as Admiral Dewey says, the man who
L
pines will in the future be looked upon
as curiosity. Those islands are ours as
heritage of war. They have been pur-
chased at the cost of the blood of gallant
men; men who turned their backs on the
wives of their bosoms, the maidens of
their love and marched forth to sure
hardship and possible death under the
flag that waves for all They have plant
ed that banner in a soil baptized by their
blood, and can we, nv friends. undo
what they have done2 1t is our destiny
to take part in the affairs of the world
or see the powers of Europe disnlember
the weak nations of Asia. By annexing
the Philippines we may preserve the equi-
librium Of the globe and avert the con
fiict that will follow if we do not retain
possession. And who will say that the
American people will not rule them
righteously1 War is terrible thing, but
there are some things worse than war
and one is the tyranny of the strong
nation over the week. Did the people
of this Country not believe this, Cuba
would to-day be the vassal of Spain, and
the Philippines in the same condition
Was it right to act the good Samaritan
or leave them to the tender mercies o.
their oppressors? Dee ming them incap
able of self-government, not arbitrarily
| hItth x,t ctan tl ~E &. "a. =.
to save them from themselves? Let pos
terity answer. We are not united in
opinion, 1t is pleasant to think thai
ere the century closes the rancor and
hate engendered by the civil strife OF
thirty-fve years ago has passed away
The war with Spain has oblitera ted wha,
kindly time was smoothing over, and to-
day we enter into no question as to who
was right or who was wrong but leave i,
to God, the Judge of battles; He knew
who was right All, yes, it is true, and
the God of the grey is the God of the
blue. Those who wore the blue and
those who wore the grey fought side by
side at FL Caney, and raised the stars
and stripes above the banner of CASTLE,
and to day all over this broad land, from
where the rising sun fires the torch in
the hand of Bartholdi's statute of liberty
to where his last CLEAN shines on Cali
fornia's golden gate, united people say
God bless the dear old flag"
Flag of the brave! thy folds shall ffy,
The sign Of hope and triumph high,
When speaks the signal trumpet tone,
And the long line comes cleaning on;
Ere yet the likelihood, warm and wet,
Has dimmed the glistening bayonet,
Each soldier eye shall brightly turn
To where thy sky-born glories burn,
Aud CORY sabers rise aud fall
Like shoots Of flame on midnight's pail;
Then shall thy meteor glance glow,
| And covering foes shall sink beneath
Each gallant arm that strikes below
That lovely messenger Of death.
y
Flag of the free hearts hope and home
BY angel hands to valor given;
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome,
And all thy hues were born in heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet
! Where breathes the foe but falls be-
fore us,
With freedoms soil beneath our feet
And freedoms banner streaming o er usl
W hen the weary years are halting in the
mighty march of time,
/ When no new ones throug the threshold
OF its corridors sublime,
! When the clarion call, close up, rings
along the line no more.