The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-02
LONG PEELS
WEB DAVIS
Continued from First page.

affiliations, should be proud Of
Now, if Davis were here, I would
have the temerity to ask him If he still
| Endorsed the tribute to the president,
and if not, why visit TO Dom Paul has
| altered his views.
'In the same speech he had this to say
to the old soldiers in telling them how
the Republican party and William Nc
Kinley were their friends:
This administration has also been
the friend of the old soldier 1t has not
forgotten it's promises and obligations to
those heroes viii offered upon the altar
Of their country their lives and all they
held dear for the preservation OF the
Union. During the year and a half of its
existence, it has caused the government
to pay to worthy and deserving veter-
ans the sum of $50, 900 per annum; ;
more than was ever paid before in the
same space Of time. And this, too a
third of a century after the close Of
the civil war While we should be care
full to prevent fraudulent pensions be-
ing paid, yet we should also be careful
that the worthy and deserving are paid
and that as promptly as possible, with
out unnecessary delay.
Truly President Mckinley is the SOL
diers' friend. He was one of them. He
suffered untold hardships that the union
might live. With knapsack on his back
and musket in his hand he trod wars
crimson highway. He drank black coffee
and ate bareback; stood picket duty in
the rain and snow; he trudged and
marched along in the mud, slept on the
ground with his comrades and performed
all the duties of army life, all for his
country, which he so dearly loved. Yes
old veterans, he was one of you. Stand
by him and his splendid administra ton
Hold up mis- hands; strengthen him in his
noble efforts to guide the old ship of
state through the waters of the future,
so that our great country may prosper
more and more as the years are lost in
the cons Of time
Now If Mr.. Davis were here, I would
ask him whether he meant what he said
at Cameron, Mo, or at Wichita, Kan If
he meant the latter, would ask him how
1t was, that as head of the department
which has supervision over all pension
matters-when he was assistant secretary
Of the department of the interior-why it
was that this administration was not
the friend to the old soldiers and why
1t was that visit TO Dom Paul con-
vinced him that he was not running his
department in a way that would assist
the old soldiers.
Il understand that Mr.. Davis saws now
that the war with Spain was right, but
that ba l..
same president is conducting the war now
as then, and in a speech at Sedalia Mo,
September 81, 1898, Mr.. Davis said:
1.-The war with Spain was the most
successful ever waged And yet at its
beginning our country was not prepared
for war. Our president exhausted every
resource Of diplomacy in the interest Of
an honorable peace. With dignity and pa
thence and discretion. and a firmness be-
yond all praise, he met popular clamor,
in official circles and without, in resis-
lance of Incorporate haste making ready
meantime. as best he could, for the in
evitable. When war came he prosecuted
it with vigor and wisdom that has
made his name immortal And in the So
luton OF the great problems that will
result from this war, the president can be
trusted to display the same courage, d.
plomacy and wisdom that characterized
his actions during the war
''Was a visit TO Dom Paul necessary to
change his views on the subject?
''At the peace Jubilee IN Washington,
May 25, 1899. Mr.. Davis said:
"'Our war with Spain was right. Our
war with the Philippines Is right Now
the question arises, shall we give up the
fruits Of that victory? I answer no. The
only course is TO fight il through. The
authority Of the United States must be
thoroughly established and it must be
thoroughly recognized by the Filipnos.
Ito surrender those Islands would be
to smirch the glory of the matchless vic
tory of Dewey and his gallant men,
who, in one day opened the gates of a
new era for our republican era that is
destined TO be filed with marvellous ac-
complishments in the worlds wondrous
competitive race of nations.
Speaking of those with some Of whom
Mr. Davis now seems to be associating
politically, he said in this same speech:
Much of the blood shed in the Philip
pines may be ascribed to a few of our
misguided citizens who are lending their
sympathy 10 the insurgents and thus en-
coura ging them to continue the contest
"'Our people have a right 10 honestly
differ on questions OF public policy; but
they have no right 10 commit sedition or
treason--have no right to aid or abet
enemies of our country; they have no
right to attempt to incite our soldiers
and our sailors TO characterization ana
mutiny. All who are thus guilty are
traitors to their country and unworthy
the name-American-'
what magic is there about Dom Paul
that Mr.. Davis visit to him convinced
him that HIS expressed views at the peace
jubilee were wrong; that the Philippine
war is wrong; that he. Davis. should
now Gin the class he so eloquently con-
demned but little more than one short
year ago?"
After giving these reasons why MI
Davis did not meet him in debate, M-
Long made a powerful speech along gen
eral Republican lines. which was warm