Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-20

!, it bear honor the title of an ''Ameri-
can" EApplause.l
| Sirs, let it be known that we hold
| the real issue to be, was it not wrong
to enforce the payment from the tax
earners and taxpayers of this nation
of $50. 900, 600 for the ownership of so
distant and disastrous a possession as
the Philippine islands? Was it not
cruel to enforce upon the American
farmer and toiler, already broken
with his burdens, the competition of
savage and remorseless race? Was
it not criminal to exact by law and
'execute by arms the support of a
military empire which must entail
5000. 000.0 600 per year upon the en-
cum bered free people of our nation?
| Applause on the democratic side
Shall not the question be, where is
the reward for such an undertaking?
| Where the justification for such an
oppressive policy? Shall it be found
in the knowledge that no man in this
day living can exist long enough to
ever see or feel the slightest return
| for his exalted sacrifice? That life to
him is not long enough to ever feel
the burden tighten for one hours
length? Rather shall we not tell the
nation that it is by the orders of the
| masters in power that thousands
yea. God in heaven mark it, hundreds
of thousands-of our hopeful sons,
our valorous youth, mothers boy,
| fathers hope, are to perish by mys-
| FERROUS plague, to die in consuming
fever, or to return-if ever to return
the emaciated wreck of once
promising life. Limbs lettering,
cheeks sunken and yellowed by dis
ease; eyes jaundiced in their sockets;
''sicklied DER with the pale cast of
DEATH Their frames racking with
ceaseless torture-to expire at last in
groan and PRAYER for home and moth
er. The pitiful close of their life's
bright beginning.
Oh, my countrymen, here is the
1t is against the law of their neces-
sity; we cry out the order of their
death; we oppose the contiscation of
their generation; we fight to the end!
The more we weep over their fate, the
more we love and cherish them as
they accept and execute it.
And. as a child when soaring sounds modest
Clngs closer and closer TO its mothers
breast
So the loud torrent and the lannon's roar
But bind him tous more and more.
We know where they are, we know
what they are doing; we feel all they
feel. and. shout out ssbrave boys to
their every war shrek and God bless
you' to every death throb.
Alas,
Nor wife nor children more shall he behold.
Nor friends nor sacred home.
Sirs, it is not ours at this hour to
reason upon their course. 1t is not
for our opponents to charge nor the
enemies of this house to intimate that
we are not all conscious of our duty.
We know that while our soldiers
fight, their fight is our fight. Right
or wrong, their cause is our cause.
Applause. Their commander in
chief our commander; his orders our
commands. Loud applause on re-
publican side.l No, gentlemen, not
your applause; give me silence. As
our soldiers know not to falter in the
hour of obedience, we scorn to ques-
ton the justice of their cause. As
they go to battle, it is enough for us
that they wear the colors of their
country-follow the flag of a reunited
people. Applause While
they fight our enemy we fight with
them. While they obey. we applaud.
While they endure in desperation. we
suffer in heart. Until the conflict of
death is over. howsoever it may have
been brought on, they are our chill |
dren, they fight with our unanimous |
approval. Loud applause.] The
assailants of their life or their flag is |
our enemy. The enemy of our coun-
try is the enemy of the democratic |
party. [Applause.l The democrats
of this land are the enemies Of all who |
would hurt their country's children.
So, sirs, let it be heralded from our
place that no vicious spirits, no cal |
designs of any set of men,
for the slandering of the /
democratic party or for the disguis-
ing of the real question and deluding
the patriotic citizens, shall succeed in |
writing US down .agains: our record |
Dr. recording us as ever speaking of |
the American soldier save in love
while he lives, in tears when he is
lead. Applause.
MIR. Chairman, we send our soldiers
and sailors our greeting. We send
hem our prayer. L, sir, speak of the
lear westland. from whence / have
come to you. 1 speak for the mother,
who awaits at the doorway for the
to bring news of her boy:
or the father. who clutches his heart |
Is he hears of his son falling. and vet
eels he was the son of the father of
$50 and 1865. l speak for the wife,
Who looks upon the locket, smothers
is dear likeness to her moaning lips,
urns to her baby, who only smiles at
he name, but never again is to know
IS father. For all these l speak.
Their all is Wonder, waiting in the
hidden eastward. / send them the
acred assurance that the democratic |,