Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-07

cordial expressions are heard wherever you
proceed as to the great credit due the ad-
mlnlstration as the potent factor in our
ma terial prosperity. This is not confined
alone to republicans. Scores of public-spir-
tied democrats also unite in such express
sions.
''Three years ago the condition in the
west was lack of confidence and all which
that implies Now it is restoration Of con-
fdence. Add to this the unprecedented
eastern manufacturing activity with the
T:eh home market the present immense
harvest yield in such states as Nebra ska
with this years estimated corn yield of
30, 100000 bushels, double that of last
year, and Kansas vie d of 340, 600 bush
els. against 130O 90 bushels of last year.
and the wheat crops which I saw, particu-
larly in Minnesota and the Dakotas TIE
greatest ever produced, together with the
wages now paid for harvest labor and for
shipment, and we have a condition such as
this and no other country ever had. No
doubt exists to the attitude of the west
toward the administration and the repub-
lican party. The popular heart is with
them.
The Philippine Question.
you inquire to western feeling as ap-
Piled to the late Spanish war. found pub
lie sentiment throughout the west thorough
ly crystallized upon this subject, and that
sentiment most generally favors retention
OF our recently acquired possessions The
Pacific coast peope especially understand
tfat expansion and annexation are deter
mined facts, and no longer issues; that our
title is valid and from the only sovereign
power which has had a title to convey.
THE expression is that it is not how to
escape our responsibilities, Eut rather how
to meet them. That is the way they talk
They say. with President Mckinley, that
where the flag has been raised in such a
cause 1t will not be lowered Then again
the Pacific coast has very much at stake
in Its commercial interests, so far as the
orient is concerned.
Trade of the Orient
Half of the worlds population faces our
coast. Only the ocean separates u.s. No
foreign territory intervenes. The rich traf-
fc of the orient is nearer the Pacific states
than it is to Europe. 1t is prize our peo-
pie believe worth contending for and as
the present military battle will soon end in
complete triumph so will the commercial
battle to follow be the easier won with the
United States as the dominant naval power
to protect our commercial ascendancy The
great question for immediate solution seems
TO be, Who shall have the Asiauc trade"
sentiments OF the Volunteers.
You ask about our returning volunteers
from the Philippines. l had the honor in
company with our patriotic governor and
his staff, to meet and welcome the brave
oregon boys across the state line and to ad-
dress them, and l wish to assure YOU that
they express hearty sympathy in the ef-
forts of the admins tration to maintain orr
authority in the Philippines. Many of
them have expressed determination to re-
enlist. and some of them have already done
SO. Inc record of these men is such as the
entire state is proud of. The men them
selves believe in an aggressive campaign
and would have preferred not to have been
restrained IN their pursuit of the Filipinos
In many of the engagements in which they
were active. In a conversation, just as 1
was leaving, with the gallant commander
of the Oregon troops. General Summers,
VINO made magnificent record in the Phil
ippine campaign, he most earnestly extolled
the attitude of the President in his speech
to the returned Pennsylvania volunteers at
Pittsburg, and 1 infer from his comments
that such sentiments most generally met
the heartfelt approval Of those lately un-
der his own command. Most invariably
they earnestly favor holding the territory
which the treaty with Spain has given us
and of asserting the authority Of the United
States over every inch of it."