Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-08
PROBLEMS OF WEIGHT.

AIsthe banquet OF the ONO society IN
New York the other night President
Mckinley III a few terse words inn
lpressed upon his hearers the weighty
Significance of the question now con
fronting the nation. He made the
point that they were in no sense party
questions, or party issues but problems
which belonged to the nation and
which confronted the whole people.
After speaking of the Spanish war
and the instantaneous response to the
call to arms the president said:
"Out of these recent events have
come to the United States grave trials
and responsibilities. AS it was the ma
tion's war, so are it's results the ma
tons problem. Its solution rests up
on us ALL Ir is too serious to stifie.
1t is too earnest for repose. No phrase
or catchword can cancel the sacred OBJ
LEGATIONS it involves. No use of cpl
|fhets, no aspersion of motives by those
who differ, will contribute to that So
Der judgment SO essential to the right
conclusions. No political cutlery can
abrogate our treaty of peace with
Spain or absolve us from its solemn
engagements. 1t is the peoples cues
tion, and will be, until its determine
ton is written out in their enlightened
verdict.
I'VE must choose between manly do
ling and base desertion. It will never
be the latter. Ii must be soberly set
tied in justice and good conscience, and
| it will be. The righteousness which
eXalteth a nation must control in it's
solution.
mo great emergency has arisen in
this nations history of progress which
has not been met by the sovereign peo-
pie with high capacity, with ample
strength, with unfinching fidelity to
every honorable obligation. Partisan
ship can hold few of US against this
solemn public duty. s
I'VE have seen this so often demon
strated in the past as to mark uner-
ringly what it will be in the future.
The national sentiment and the nation
al conscience was never stronger or
higher than now. There has been a
reunion of the people around the holy
altar consecrated to a country new
| ly sanctified by common sacrifices.
The followers of Grant and Lee have
fought under the same flag and fallen
for the same faith. Party lines have
loosened and the ties of union have
been rooted in the hearts of the Amer
lean people. Political passion has al
together subsidized and patriotism
glows with inextinguishable fervor in
every home the land. The flag has
been sustained on the distant seas and
islands by men of all parties, sections,
creeds, races and nationalities and its
stars are only those of radiant hope
to the remote peoples over whom it
floats.
There can be no imperialism. Those
who fear it are against it. Those who
have faith in the republic are against
1T. SO that there is u universal abhor-
renee for it and unanimous opposition
to it. Our only difference is that
those who do not agree with us have
no confidence in the virtue or capacity
or high purchase OF good faith of
this free people as civilizing agency,
while we believe a century of free gov
eminent which the American people
have enjoyed has not rendered them
faithless or irresolute, but has fitted
them for the great task of lifting up
and assisting to better the conditions
OF those distant peoples who have thru
the issue of battle become our wards.
Let us fear not. There is no occa-
sion for faint hearts and no excuse for
regrets. Nations do not grow in
strength and the cause of liberty aud
| law is not advanced by thedoing of easy
things. The harder the task the great
er will be the resulting benefit and
honor. To doubs our power to accom-
plish it is to lose faith in the sound
ness and strength of our popular insti-
buttons. Liberators will never become
oppressors. A self-governed people
will never permit despotism in any
government which they foster and de-
fend."