Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-30

New York, January 29.-An i'm
mense throng filed Carnegie hall to-
night to hear the benefit concert and
the lecture by the. Rev. John P. Child
wick, who vas chaplain of the Maine,
on Our war with Spain, it's causes
and results" preceded by what he saw
of the blowing up Of the battlesh1p.
The concert and lecture was for the
benefit of the Catholic reading room
for young men, on Christopher street,
the money received for admission be-
ing applied to the reading room and
to the establishment OF a number Of
such places throughout the city for
the good of thirty thousand seafaring
men.
Governor Roosevelt presided. Ma
jor General Roe, with his staff; Admi-
rails Erben and Miller. Lieut.. Com
mander Delehanty, Adjutant General
Avery D. Andrews, Col. Treadwell,
Commodore Philip, Captain Goodrich
and hundreds of other officers were
present.
Governor Roosevelt made a brief ad-
dress, after which Father Chadwick
spoke for an hour, giving an interest
ing account of the sailing Of the Maine
for Havana, the experiences in Haya-
ma and the blowing up OF the ship, He
spoke Of the heroism Of the sailors
when the catastrophe occurred and af-
forwards, when suffering in the hos
pitfalls.
imperialism, what do they mean by
imp~erialism?' said he, in the course Of
his address. What does it mean, this
departure from the settled policy Of the
nation? Must it be that this policy,
thought out by the founders OF u gov
eminent, is to be laid aside as useless
now? God forbid hat ever imperial
ism may find a footing in our country.
For the fathers knew what imperial
ism meant; they had learned it from
England when they fought for liberty.
They fought to establish the propos.-
ton and wrote it in blood, that all
good government rests with the will Of
the governed people, The strength Of
Our nation is in the manhood and
WOmanho0d of it's people. There have
been developed out Of liberty in hope
and ambition. | believe that imperial
ism would be short lived in this coun-
try were it V e established. We would
not be able to hold on to it. The
whole tide of the war is toward repub-
licanism. Shall we go back a step in
the progress of the world?
Il do not mean to arraign the gov
eminent as if it were responsible for
such a policy. | firmly believe that
there is no greater American than Pre-
sident Mckinley. The holding of the
Philippines is not against the prin-
ciples of our nation. The holding of
the islands is an absolute necessity.
Would it not be to leave the inhabit-
ants in blO0dshed to withdraw the
troops tomorrow? Would we not be
held up to the scorn of history if we
should desert them now? We are
bound to keep them. Whether wise or
not it is now a necessity. The Ameri-
can people must not let them go back
to Spain, but must hold them till this
nation can place them as they must be
placed, among the free peoples of the
earth. This pressure upon the Presi-
dent to compel him to formulate a
policy in regard to the Philippines is
wrong. He cannot formulate a policy
in regard to q people Of whom we are
ignorant. The islands must be kept
like Cuba till wise craftsmanship can
decide what is the best policy toward
them"