Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-04-28

no branch of commerce. Rich in all
m Material wealth, we were richer stil
In q noble history and in those price,
less ideals. by which Republic must
live or bear no life.
From all over the country came the
voice OF well-psid labor, dwelling in
happy homes, full OF ceotentment with
the present and OF hope for the future.
Capital was seeking ,new investments
on all sides. Our domestic market,
rescued from foreign invasion, was our
own. Foreign mA kess were opening.
The balance OF trade was on our side.
The product of American industry was
carried abroad on an overwhelming
and increasing tide,
We had Won the glorv OF q great lib.
era tor In both hemispherea. The flag
of Spain--embiem OF tyranny and cruel
ty-had been driven from the Western
Hemisphere, and was soon to 60 down
from her eastern possessions. The
war had been conducted without the
loss of gun or the capture Of an
American soldier in battle. The glory
Of this great achievement was unlike
any other which history has recorded.
1t was rot that we had beaten Spain.
1t was not that 75 coo 900 people had
spirit OF the nineteenth century had
been too much for the spirit OF the fif.
teenth century. Not that the young
athlete had felled TO the ground q de-
erepit old man OF ninety. 1t was not
that the American mechanic and engi-
neer in machine shop could make
tier ships or better guns; or that
the American soldier or sailor had dis
play cd the same quality in battle that
he had shown on every field-at Bunk-
er Hill, ut Yorktown. at Lundys Lane.
at New Orleans, at Buens Vista, st
Getty sburg; in every sea fight on Lake
Erie or on the Atlantic. Nobody
doubted the skill of the American gen.
erai, the gsllantry or the American sd-
miral, or the courage Of the American
soldier or sailor. The glorv of the war
and of the victory was thst it was Q
war and Q victory in the interest of lib
erty. The American flag had appear
ed as berstor in both hemispheres
when it floated over Havana or Santia-
go or Manila, there was written on its
folds, where all nations could read it,
the pledge OF the resolution Of Con.
Gress and the declaration OF the Presi-
dent.
4 TRIBUTE TO MCKINLEY.
Every true American thanked God
that he had lived to behold thst day.
The rarest good fortune OF all WAS the
good fortune of President Mckinley.
He was. in my Judgment, the best be-
loved President who ever sat in the
chair OF Washington. His name was
inseparably connected with two periods
OF unexanpled prosperity, made more
impressive by the period of calamity
which came between them. The peo-
pie believe that TO the great measure
called bv his name was due q time Of
happiness and comfort never eQualed
in this country, and never approached
by any other. It was the high-water
mark on this planet Of everything that
coHld bring happiness to people. But
hieh as the tide reached then. IL vent
still higher under the operation of the
policies which came In with his Ad-
ministration.
he had won golden honors by his pa
triotic hesitation in bringing on the
war, and by his interpretation OF the
purpose with which Ihe people at last
entered upon it.
When say that Presid ent Mckinley
was the best beloved Preside Mt that
ever sat in the chair of Washington,
do not mean, OF course, 90 compare the
reverence in which any living man ia