Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13

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that can only be dealt with safely by
the executive officers OF our government
in their discretion. To them | would
relegate all matters of executive detail,
and am free to say that there is no man
in whose integrity, patriotism and
Christian craftsmanship have greater
confidence than in that of our Presi-
dent, William Mckinley. Ii he had
been left to his own Judgment | be-
lieya right counsel would have pre-
vailed. He Graves and needs the sup
Eort of healthy public sentiment. 1t
is the duty Of the people whose servant
he is to form and express the nation's
will along the lines of human justice
and human freedom.
The white mans burden is upon our
shoulders. How shall we bear it? Shall
it be as the supporters of liberty or as
the advocates of slavery?
We are nation OF freemen. Every |
man is a, factor in the government re-
snonsible for its policy. For the highest |
discharge of the duties of freemen,
virtue, intelligence and patriotism are
primal elements. Our national life and
yigor is measured by the life and vigor
of the average American individual
man. In our carly history that indi-
vidual average was high, for then it
was the average of the blended blood of
the Puritan, the Cavilier, the Hugenot,
the Swede and the Polander, and was
the type of a magnificent manhood.
Since then, millions of the lower grade
nations Of Europe and Asia and Africa
have tiocked to Our shores, adulterated
our blood and lowered the average of
citizenship. II we are to keep up the
high standard of manhood, it must be
by the broadcast self-culture in every
line of morality and honesty. We have
an Herculean task in moulding this
mixed medley into an homogeneous geo
pic, through the influences of family,
the public schools and the church.
Enough lies before us at home, to
appal the stoutest heart and tax all our
national resources for many years to
come. The Lord gave us this isolated
land that we might stay here and work
out the great problem of self-govern-
ment untrammelled by hostile environ
ments.
Our ardent expansionists say let us
carry the blessings of our civilization
to tho tropical islands of tho far off
Pacific and teach the heather our
Christianity. Had we not better clean
Otlr OWL uuuSt5 DblOTb We Ru Dub w
clean the houses of others? Is not the
white mans burden better borne il We
win the nations to light and freedom
by our home examples of pure national
| life; rather than in forcing our Christi
anity upon the far off islanders at the
| point of tine bayonet, the mouth of the
riflo and the cannon. We have some
problems to solve at home, y 6 *
1 One fourth of our 10, 900, 600 people are
under the shadow of ignorance and
vice, many of them unable to read and
write In our midst are 1900, 900 of
the negro race, every day assuming a
more distinct race attitude. Such con-
ditions startle the thoughtful and
causes to ask In amazement, why
should we waste our substance upon an
unwilling people 5000 miles away over
across the seas, when millions of our
own people at home are starving
for the true fuod life and health of free,
1 men2 Is war SO attractive? Is domin.
ion SO alluring? Gen. William T. Sher-
man was asked once: What is warp
He answered: "What is war; What is
war? Why, war is hell"
Why spend daily over million oi
dollars. why layishly throw away the
health and lives of our brave soldiers
and sailors in such a cause?
| would like to see our great giant,
Uncle Sam, take up in his brawny
hand the little Cuban and the little
Filipino, put them upon their feet ano
say 10 them: walk if you can; if yor
cannot walk, | will help you; anyway,
; try and let us see what you can do. =
Is there heart q in this audience
that would not respond "bravo," tx
! such action on the part of Uncle Sam
The war with Spain has produced
grand results. 1t has shown to thu
: world the splendid dash and endurance
! skill and fortitude of the American sol
, ders and sailors. 1t has been accom-
panied with instances of individual
! herosm and daring like that of Hobsol
ON the water and Funston on the land
, that honor our race. 1t has healed tn
! wounds Of the Civil War. 1t has mad
/ our nation respected and honored
) one of the great powers of the earth
! Now | long for the crowning glory o
. the war; thai IS, the freedom of th
peorlo for whose freedom we made, wo
and pledged our national faith, to tn
end that the honor of the nation ma
) be unsullied. Then Americas shar
of the white mans burden will hav
Y been pohly borne: for we will hav
/ given liberty to the oppressed and le
nations from the darkness of despotisI
a into tho light of freedom. We wi
havo kept the faith and stand cea
t before God and man.
, Now for one historic scene of th
: war: Tho battle of Santiago was over
k Tho whole of the proud Spanish flee
h was dismautled or sunk; not man o
d the American fleet was wounded. FroI
y tho Oregon came the iubilant strain
$ of ''The Star Spangled Banner" 0
& the bridge of tho Texas group {
4 hilarious officers surrounded their CON
d mander, Capt Phillips, who SCENE
II bowed in thought Suddenly he turne
to his executive officer and sal
j. quietly, "Call all hands aft. - Th
:, 500 men trooped in to the quarter -decl
d with bare head the captain stood an
u said: II want to make public acknow
II edgmeut hero, that have complet
70 faith in God the Father Almighty,
n want all of tho officers and crew, unle'
N there be those who have conscientiou
o scruples against SO doing, to lift yot
,e hat and in your hearts to offer sileI
!. thanks to God.'' AS the captain
rs strong voice died away, every ma
N stood reverently for moment or tw,
70 with barred and bowed head. The
1T came the reaction; big fellow of tf
st crew called for three cheers for o,
Ir captain, and they were given with
n- heartiness that fairly shook the shil
!" (Century, May, 1899, p. lls.l
~ With such men SO grandly traint
and in the cause of human liberty, l
IN wonder the God of Battles fought wit
to us, and that we kept the white man
of burden to the fore.