Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-05
SPEECH OF GOVERNOR THOMAS.
Continued from page 1o.)

we WOuld AVOID IL because its adOp-
ton must lead to other wars and 9th
er conquests, to the shedding of inno-
cent blood, to burdensome taxation, to
a hopeless national debt, to the forci-
BILE annexation of other lands, to con-
.stant entanglements with the affairs
of other nations, in short, to all the
evils foreseen by the Father of his
country, and depicted in that ilnmor-
tai address whose earnest warnings are
forgotten or disregarded by our rulers.
I'VE would have no colonial system.
Its pestilent brood has already Matched
in the Havana postoffice and has
grown apace for months in distant Ma
Mia. 1t is the fruitful mother of OPP
preston and maladministration. 1t has
no place in the economy of republic.
1t cannot live in the atmosphere of
freedom. 1t is the asylum of dishon-
esty and incompetency. 1t broods
fraud, wrong and scandal. 1t makes
tyrant of the ruler, rebel of the ruled
1t deceives and beguiles the home gov
ernment. 1t robs and plumbers the
subject people. 1t is an instrument of
despotism and the antagonist of de-
mocracy. 1t requires for its success
full operation permanent military es-
tablishment. Our national standard
has stripe for every state that franz
ed the Union, a star for every common
wealth of the sisterhood. 1t has nei-
Their place nor emblem for subject peo-
Piles or colonial systems.
''We believe in that expansion which
under democratic rule brought half
the continent as galaxy of common
wealth into the Union. We denounce
that expansion which by contrast ov-
ercomes the people of another hemis-
phere under the preteXt of giving them
liberty, which governs them by force,
which denies to them the rights of cit
liens, which subjects the American
workmen to the competition of hun
dreds of Orientals coming hither from
so-called American provinces to take
his place at the forge, in the mine and
the factory.
"The stretch of thirty-three peaceful
years from the close of the Rebellion
to the opening of the war for Cuban
independence has wrought no change
in the valor and self-denial of the Am
erican soldier. Inspired by the lofti-
est patriotism and the highest devotion
to country, he has again testified his
readiness. and ability to wage her bat
ties and win her victories. On land aud
sea, under burning tropic suns, he is
the same invincible fighter whose faith
ers at Yorktown, at New Orleans, at
San Jacinto and at Gettysburg estab-
lished, maintained and perpetuated the
republic. To them, all of them, soldier
and sailor, the nations gratitude ex-
tends. It's debts should be requited to
their widows and their orphans, to
those stricken by bullet and pestilence,
to the helpless and the deserving. To
care for the men who stand, and for
the loved ones of those who fall in con-
flict for the nation, is the most sacred
of our obligations, and it shall be our
constant care to enforce it's Just and
full observance.
eve would build the Nicarauguan
canal as an American enterprise for the
American people. We would fortify it
notwithstanding the protests or the
objections of transatlantic powers.
eve would form political alliances
with no countries whatever. We nei-
ther need nor desire them. For CEN
fury and quarter we have survived
the envies and enmities of Europe. 1t
is as true now as ever that 1T is folly
in one nation to look for disinterested
favors from another, that it must pay
with portion of it's independence for
whatever it may accept under that
character. There can be no greater
error than to expect or calculate upon
real favors from nation to nation.
eve would relieve the people of the
burden of taxation. If administrative
authority is to be credited, the Span
lish-American conflict ended eighteen
months ago. The same authority as
sures us with every moon that the Phil
ippine Instruction is over. The treas
ury is bursting with plethoric reve-
nue., millions whereof are deposited
with favorite banks which lend it to
the people on their own terms, that
the volume of circulation may not SUI
fer dminution. Notwithstanding these
conditions there is no surcease of tax
alton. Measures cunningly devised to
fall upon the backs of the people and
screen large interests from responsible
| ity for the public burdens, willingly
assumed and cheerfully borne in the
heat of conflict, press with full weight
in times of peace with no signs
of relief from the party
in power. Unnecessary taxation is un-
just taxation and unjust taxation by
whatever name it may be called is the
plumber of the citizen by his govern
ment.
We would investigate the public ex-
penditures and demand an accounting
for the millions that have been lavish
ed in the purchase of naval stores and
war munitions, in supplies, equipment
and transportation. We would inquire
into the conduct of the war, stamp out
fayoritism in high places, and reward
the real heroes of the conflict. We
would ascertain and fix the RESPONSE
bility for the terrible mortality of our
military camp, for the inefliciency of
bureaucrats and their subordinates,and
for the needless sacrifice of thousands
of our soldiers to the cupidity of con-
tractors and the inefficiency of appoin-
tees.
We would have for our chief magis-
trate a man sprung from the loins of
the people, roclsribbed in his convic-