Oregon union. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1897-1899, 1899-01-20


success of American arms and bring
victory and honor to the American
flag. And when the war was over,
| believe the patriotic instincts of
American citizenship demanded,
as your president enjoined upon us,
that we would exhibit magnanimity
to PROSTATE foe and moderation
i'll the hour of victory, as we had
faced the war with steadfastness
and>courage.
SThe acquisition of territory by
the United States was not one of
the objects of the war, and we
solemnly declared in the resolutions
of congress that our only object in
demanding the REIMBURSEMENT Of
the sovereignty of Cuba by Spain
was not to hold it ourselves, except
that we might pacify it and fit it
for self-government by its own
people. But in this, as in all else,
man proposes and God disposes,'
and it is one Of the things that
make thoughtful men desire to
avoid war where it can be avoided,
for no one can tell what its con-
sequences may be. ardently
desired that we might escape the
necessity of taking the Philippine
islands, and assuming the burden
that their taking will impose upon
us, and I know that the president
of the United States was equally
anxious to the same end. But it
became apparent that without our
seeing, unexpected conditions had
been created, and out Of these con-
ditions unquestionable duties had
sprung which could not be avoided
or evaded by the United States.
SIT was argued that the per-
formance of duty is sometimes not
ouly unpleasant, but has dangers
attendant upon it; nevertheless
brave man and brave nation will
not shrink from it on that account.
On the other hand, if American
sentiment did not justify the return
Of those islands to Spain, no more
could itjustify leaving them derelict
in the eastern ocean, the prey of
the first occupant of European
rapacity.
$50 it was thought best by the
president and his advisers to take
the cession Of their sovereignty from
Spain and hold it in trust to be
administered in conformity with
those high ideals and liberty-loving
traditions which animate and glori-
fy the history of our country. DVty
cannot honorably be avoided be-.
cause it may bring pain or danger,
nor can responsibility always be
evaded because of it's burdens.
"But now that we ha re the Phil
ippines, it does not follow that we
are committed to a colonial policy
or to a violation of those great
principles OF liberty and self-govern-
ment which must always remain
American ideals, if our own free in
stitutions are to endure.
mo country, and this country
least of all. can afford to trample on
its ideals. I have no fear that it
will do SO. Without assuming for
a moment any right to speak for
the president, / think | can assure
you, with some knowledge whereof
| speak, that he fully appreciates
the duties and responsibilities of
the situation, and that he is COM
mitted to no policy calculated to
discourage, much less strike down,
aspirations of libel flowing people
all over the world. I belong to a
different political party, but I
should be false to my sense of
justice and to that pride which | |
feel as an American if | did not
declare my confidence in the patri-
otism and purity of purpose of
William Mckinley. He is no
usurper of power, no stranger to
institutions, but one of
the American people, called to his
high Office by their suffrages, and
it would be strange indeed if he did
not share to the fullest extent in
the love of our constitution and the
that underlie it. What
less than this can be truthfully
said of an American president? 1t
would be the beginning of the end
to our great career as a nation.