The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-07


great enterprise has been tossed about for
| twenty years in congress and never was
| assured until Dewey's guns gave US new
and unanswerahle argument for its COM
pletion. And this isthmian canal, when
completed. viii make these gulf and the
South Atlantic states almost the exact
geographical center Of the vast currents
of national and International trade, fruc-
tifying and enriching that section with
| unparalleled development and prosperity.
| The commercial interests of the South in
| the Greater America is obvious and tran
| scendent.
But to my mind the commercial is
ever the lowest and subordinate argu-
ment. All my life moral considerations
have swayed my view OF public affairs.
and am not likely to lose the moral idea
in the maze of this great world question.
My early and impulsive opinion sent me
| naturally enough to the ranks OF anti
expansionists. where hasty and super
| fetal view win lead any warm hearted
and honest man.
''Maturer consideration and an earnest
endeavor to comprehend the LANCER ways
Of providence have modified my opAhons
into full acceptance of present condi-
LUIS d. part VI the p4Gl VI NxOQ.
1T am an orthodox Presbyterian of the
old school. 1 believe Supremacy in an
everything providence, and I believe with
my own and other evangelical churches
| in the spirit and the letter of missions.
| am sustained by history and the scrip
lures in the faith that providence some
times moves along heroic lines and some
| times, as in the case of Pharo and Moses.
and in the case of the crusaders, through
wars and blood to the accomplishment OF
its vast designs. 1t seems to me should
be blind not TO see in all the fortunes OF
this wonderful warm the madness of
Cevera, in the apathy and 'unprepared-
ness Of Montejo, and in the swift and al
most bloodless conclusion of hostilties-
the movement of a hand mightier than
artillery for the uplifting and the evan
geliZation of the world.
Providence has always seemed to lead
this dear, dear America There is that in
our history to justify the reverent belief
that we are the chosen people of God.
Beyond our own conception and designs
we have been led by providence TO mighty
and glorious things. A mere band of col
onists on New England shores, thinking
Of nothing beyond the refuge from ty-
ranny and an asylum for civil and relig-
fous liberty, we have been nodded by pro-
whence, far beyond our own small pur-
poses, into the mightiest and freest ma
ton of the globe. Over our narrow pro-
tests and against our narrow prejudices
and criticisms we were led by the events
of the Louisiana and kindred puschases
to the development of the mighty and
guns of Sumter and under the haze Of
smoking battles my own section has been
led unknowing and protesting from feu-
dal and slaveholding aristocracy into a
miracle of prosperous and self-respecting
development, reaching a larger status
than could ever have been possible under
the institutions which we defended vain
ly with our convictions and our blood
And the same providence. welding us
at last into a reunited and harmonious
people-here at the very summit of our
national glory and at the express zenith
of our moral and intellectual develop
ment takes us by the hand and, opening
wide the field of unlimited opportunities
and unlimited usefulness, points US in the
thunder of our victorious guns to the last
and noblest duty of our race.
1.-The philosophy of our race has been
interpreted by the providence Of war. The
evangel of liberty and Christianity can
not shfrk the mission which the Omnipo-
tent makes plain.
1.-THE world is growing old and the
thousand missionaries toiling In patient
ways for fifty years could not bring the
light of liberty and Christianity to Luzon
and Panay like the law and creed and
customs Of this Christian country shin
ing all at once upon the ignorance and
superstition that made them slave and
heather
'And we must do our work well and
completely-not dawdling and hesitating
in squeamish consideration or in fear Of
terms. but firmly and decisively. in full
appreciation OF a supreme power and of
our SUPREME duty, and holding the power
as the essential agency for the best dis
charge of the duty. What England and
Holland done surely We may do as well,
and our colonial administration should be
as far superior to Englands and Hol-
lands our government and our national
character are better than theirs.
Accepting expansion as a fact, It
should be the chief concern of all lovers
of liberty and good government to see
that the interests of these islands are
faithfully administered and its people de-
veloped as rapidly as possible under the
great principle of local self-government
which has been the genius and the glory
of the Angio-Saxon race.
Let US have no proconsul enriched
with the spoils OF island empire. and let
US throttle in the beginning the politician
who would use these sacred responsible
ties TO the furtherance of personal for
tune or partisan advantage.
Il believe that the thinking South holds
these views today, and viii protest any
policy that antagonizss them. II the ma
tional convention Of the Democratic party
should plant Itself in open opposition 10
the progressive foreign policy OF the al
inistrati0n It would imperi the fealty Of
more than one southern state.
DO you ask me If l an a Democrat
of course. I an a Democrat. and do
not expect TO be anything else II IS and
viii continue 70 be high treason in the
South not 10 be A Democrat so long as
the present social and political conditions
remain 70 soHdlfy the white race against
The problem .taiied by the presence OF
:he negro.
But I an not nov OF n the future
candidate for any political Office. and this
gives ne freedom 10 agitats without 81
te-est and without fear the issues which
make for the reaI interests of my party
and my section
And this IS why. far IN advance of ne