Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-09-06

is ours as much az the Louisiana
purchase or Texas or Alaska. A
body of insurgents i'm no sense rep
resenting the sentiment Of the people
Of the Islands, disputed our lawful
authority and even before the rati-
tication Of the treaty by the senate
were attacking the very forces which
fought for and secured their freedom.
This was the situation in April,
1899. the date of the exchange Of rati-
ficatio ls-witb only 21,0O0 regulars
subject to the unquestioned direction
of the executive, and ;hey for the
most part on duty In Cuba and Porto
Rico, or invalided ~ home after their
severe campaign In the tropics. Even
had they been available It would
have required months to transport,
them To the Philippines. Practically
rev army had To he created.
4" hese lOval volunteersi i'm the Phil
ippii e. said: 1--WE will stay until the
government can organize an army at
HON" and transport them to the seat
IT hDstilities.' They did stay cheer
fully, uncon plaiIingly, patriotically.
L
fought and fell, they drove pack and
punished The rebels who resisted
fedel al authority and who withforce
attacked the sovereignty OF the
United States in its newly
acquired territory. Without
them then and there we would have
been practically helpless on land, our
flag would have had its first stain
and the American name it's first
ignominy.
"The brilliant victories of the army
and navy in the bay and the city OF
Manila would have been won in vain,
nur obligations to civilization would
have remained temporarily unper-
formed. chaos would have reign d
and whatever government there was
would have been by the will Of one
man and not by the consent Of the
governed. Who refused t0sound the
retreat? Who stood In the breach
when Others weakened? Who resis-
ted the suggestion Of the unpatriotic
that they should come home? Let
me call the roll of the regiments and
battaiions that deserve TO be perpet.
Udlti w tiFt udtiDu dhuuiSs h't'
action was not a sudden impulse
under excitement hut a deliberate
determination to sustain at the cost
Of life II need be. the honor of their
government and the authority of it,
flag:
First California, California artii-
lpry, First Colorado, First Idaho,
Fifty-tirst Iowa, Twentieth Kansas,
Thirteenth Minnesota, First Mon
tana, First Nebraska, First North
Dakota, Nevada cavalry, Second
Oregon, Tenth Pennsylvania, First
South Dakota, First Tennessee, Utah
artillery, First Washington, First
Wyoming, Wyoming battery.
ITO these must be added about
1900 emil sted men of the regular army
who were entitled to their discharge
under the peace proclamation OfApri
II, 1899, the greater portion al
whom participated in the heengsger ent
Of the Eighth corps and are still per
forming ar.uous duty in the field.
"Nor will the navy be forgotten
Sixty-five devoted sailors participa
ted in the engagement Of May | In
Manila bay whose terms Of service
had previously expired, continuing on
duty quite "a year after that action
For these men Of the army and Davy
we have only honor and gratitude
The world will never know the re
straint Of our soldiers. their seli-cOn-
troll under the most eXasperatinp
conditions. For weeks subject To thu
iuaulta 81 nd du nIipity az the insurppuI
leaders they preserved thestatus quo