The Somerset reporter., 1899-11-16
The Women Dazed by
EXPANSION.

BY request OF Skowhegan citizen we
publish the enclosed that originally ap.
peared In a Seattle, Wash, daily, EVIL
IDENTIFY d avn out by the action of the
W. C. T. q. at the recent National con.
vention
| September 20, on the island of Jolo,
seated in State In his bamboo hut, with
soldiers and high officials around him,
the sultan of the Sulu archipelago, ruler
of 140 islands or more, "the stainless
one, "the hope of his people," lord OF
life and DEATH" entered into solid agree.
ment with the United States whereby
the islands passed peacefully and for
ever into our hands. Above the Sulu
flag floats the Stars and stripes, mblem
of a sovereignty that means widest de-
| velopment to people hitherto sitting Ia
darkness.
The Sulu islands are rich In woods and
fruits and one of the most valuable pearl
fisheries in the world, but the solemn
agreement left 1.-THE peerless one" In full
possession Of islands, wives and all.
Wednesday, in the great convention
held In This city, Wilbur +. Crafts point
ed to the Old Glory flag that dropped
from the wall of the Presb terrain
church, and criticised the fact that the
Stars and Stripes were linked with the
Sulu flag, flying above the harem, in our
newly acquired lands, but in all his elo.
quent outburst there WAS no word of
praise for the peaceful expansion that
placed thousands Of people of low brow
toward the morrow of hope.
The eloquent speaker had no joyous
prophecy, saw no hopeful signs, heard
,,a ,kta Of h.
religious liberty, the freedom of thought
and speech, that follows the flag; saw
no blessed duty In leading these people
out to higher thought; had no praise for
the government that has gone before the
missionary, making it possible to reach
these poor selves; saw 20 tracing of
Gods signs in the path of nations, nor
tuned his ears to the old, old story that
today may be told without fear. He
saw only our flag over the harem, and
was too impatient to wait the working
out of truth to these wondering souls.
Around the island of Luzon is din and
preparation for war. Rebellion lifts
its hand against the sovereignty that by
chance of battle came our way, and
swung US to destiny set from the foun-
dation of the world. Not one heavy
burden is laid upon this people, and they
of widened vision see in these guns and
warriors the irresistible dawning of a
day that waits. For be it known that
"the gospel must be preached" mark it,
must be preached, around the world
| before the end come.
notable army of women have been
| in convention assembled; they are
queenly women, women of tender heart
women of consecrated lives. They
shrink from pain, from bloodshed, from
expansion which unavoidably brings
both in its train. They do not see that
this destiny, this ownership, this re-
sponsibilitv was set aforetime. and could
not be lodged, and the swiftness OF it,
the sureness of it, dazes them.
Blood, blood, blood; no one under
stands how or why it is, but history is
red with it, each step In the progress of
the world drps with it, and the chariots
of liberty roll axle deep in it, but after
the drenching, happily the up grade
and nearer view of the plowshare and
pruning hook.
The day Of universal peace begins to
dawn. The railroad, the daily press,
the Bible and electricity round up the
century with prophetic strides. The
jew is going back to jerusalem; women
are coming to their own, and dumdum
bullets, belching cannon and war, horrd
war, swing the world on to its best.
Hail, Stars and Stripes Hail, brave
men. ready to dare and die Hail to the
government under whose charter every
man is king Hail to the expansion
that shows above its blood tiuts the
fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of
man MARION b. BAN TER.