The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-04

battle and the wrecks of the Spanish navy,
thta you a few weeks before were afraid
would levy tribute upon ew York and
Boston, the glorious flag OF your country
telling the startled and asto1ished nations
of the word henceforth and forever when
an American citizen sets his foot upon
your shores his rights and his person must
be protected; you who in the last few
days have not felt that pride and admira-
ton that today Kansas knows and feels
when that great day came when a Kan
sas boy, at the head OF a Kansas regi-
ment, carried the stars and stripes of our
country, in the face Of the deadly fire, TO
the banks of the river and when they
found the bridge was gone, plunged boldly
into its turbulent waters TO the farther
side, and there won a victory so brilliant
that it adds new lustre TO the name of
Kansas and our flag.
You who have witnessed all these deeds
OF daring, telling the whole world that
the youth of America show no signs of
degeneration, but are still robe sons Of
their gallant fathers and fOrefathers; you
who have seen, as one of the results of
this war, the last vestiges Of the bitter
ness and animosity of the civil war blotted
out forever from the hearts of our people,
viii you now, who are so dissatisfied and
fearful that this nation has done injury TO
itself and injustice TO others. will you
now please tell US what would you have
this nation do?
You canot change or alter the great
events Of the past year. They belong to
the glorious history of our country. The
terms Of peace have been made and rati-
fed, and by those terms the Philippine
islands belong to US. The twenty million
dollars have been paid, and what is dearer
and more precious still, the blood of our
brothers has watered the soil.
Shall we now go backward for the first
time in our history? Shall we say to our
peace commissioners and the senate that
confirmed that treaty You have made a
mistake? Shall we say TO Dewey and Fun
ston and our brave sailors and soldiers
over there. We are sorry you have fought
so we'll; you have made a mistae; pull
down our nations flag, furl it and put it
away; we are afraid Of imperialism and
prefer to abandon those islands where
your blood has been shed in vain. We
know that the inhabitants are not fitted
to govern or protect themselves a single
year from seizure by Germany or some
other monarchy, but we are afraid of our
own ability; in fact we are afraid of
everything, SO come home at once? Gen
tlemen Of this congress, no such message
viii ever be sent across the sea; no such
shame and disgrace will ever befan our
country Have patience, you preachers of
the gospel Of despair and the downfall Of
this republic; wait and see! For
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage, where
His grapes Of wrath are stored;
He has Ioosed the fateful lightning of His
terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching!"
Wipe from your eyes your tears Of sor-
row and despair and try now, like Jeffer-
son, 20 peer into the future of your cOun-
try's greatness.
Can you mot see IN the no distant future
the White sails Of commerce that cover the
ocean, carrying our own loved flag, bear
ing the commerce between this country
and those far-of shores?
Can you not see the school houses,
churches. work shops and homes of d
now contented and enlightened people?
Can you not see the thousands of nativ
children, under the influence of the grand
men and women who even now are
anxious and ready to tae up the task
when the sword has been sheathed, |
learning the language of our nation in
their schools and churches, and worship
ing that Divine Creator of this universe,
who has chosen this nation as His humble
instrument in carrying out his plan so
long foretold. Can you not hear the old
familiar songs of Zion from their lips and
see the great change that has been
wrought under our form of government
that gives. equal rights and justice to all?
Can YOU not hear their spindles and fac
tories, that catch the echo from this IA
vored land and repeat it back 10 you with
music from their own? Can you not see
even Cuba, that fair isle that lies so close
to our shores-nOt by force of our arms, |
but from her own free choice-fying from
San Juan hill, where fell so many of our
brave heroes, and over all her hills and
dales, the stars and stripes that have a.
ways meant so much 10 Us, and now they
know means happiness, liberty and rights !
never dreamed Of before to them?
Can you not see all this and Join now
with me in sending a glad shout of tri-
umphant JOY that will echo down the years
Of time-Hip, hip and hurrah for old glory! |
Hip, hip and hurrah for Mckinley, Dewey
and Funston, and three cheers and a tiger
for Kansas that from her earliest be-
ginning to the present hour. in every cause /
for the glory of God and the welfare of /
humanity, has always led and pointed out |
the way?