Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-08-30
Washington, D. c.

Like any other man that strives to
be a true citizen, [ have followed
with peculiar as we'll as with per
sonal interest the advancing steps of
the two leading parties in the cam
Paign already opened. We do so
mainly for two reasons, the one per-
sonal, educational perhaps, with the
purpose in view of obtaining the most
nearly correct understanding of the
questions and principles at stake; the
other, partisan reason, but as such
naturally very secondary to the for
mer.
But, there is third reason why I
am particularly interested in the pres
ent campaign, and which will pres
emily point out to you. It is reason
which ought to disturb the eqdilibri-
um of patience of every TRUE citizen,
whether associating with one party or
the other, and especially those who
are the adopted heirs Of the "Star
Spangled Banner, the emblem of
manly freedom. Why? Because the
most outrageous insults have been
hurled in our face. Because the for
tress of American patriotism has been
assaulted with poisoned daggers in
the hands of corrupt demagogues.
Let us examine it more closely, bear
ing in mind that ''a good cause makes
courageous heart''. ..... ..
In the early part of July, this year,
| the Est. Louis Republic'', in leng-
thy editorial, revels in the thought Of
how Pres. Mckinley would be defeat
ed at the polls by the 'EForeign" and
"German-American" vote. I quote
from that editorial the following par
agraph:
''This element of American citizen
ship (German-American) has taken
pains to impress upon the President
realization of the fact that German
Americans cannot follow the Repub-
lican party in the path of empire.
From the day when Mr.. Mckinley,
forgetting his Americanism in his i'm
perial greed, refused to treat with or
to recognize the Filipino patriots, and
thus forced the war in the Philip
pines, the German-Americans have
been frank with the President. They
have repeatedly served notice that it
was not possible to men of their blood
to assist in fastening upon their
adopted country the twin curse of
militarism and Imperialism, under
which they had been compelled to
exile themselves from their Father
land.' y
What have these Americans Of Ger
man descent done to be thus singled
out? Evidently they are made to
represent the entire percentage of
voters foreign born or of foreign
descent. Then it follows that those
millions of Americans of foreign orr
gin are banded together in a solid
mass to dictate the course of policy to
be pursued by the government, not
by virtue of difference of opinion
but by virtue of a foreign citizenship
in some time past. If this were the
actual status of the case then even the
"paramount issue' of the Democratic
party would pale into insignificance
beside this ONE question. Every 9th
er issue of this campaign could await
attention until this ONE had been SET
tied. It would be possible if such
conditions were really existing to
band together and obtain full control
of the government, a state of affairs
that would be fraught with the direst
results. Such a thing has been pos
sible for a number of years, but the
heroic conduct and political assimila-
ton of this class should make these
accusers blush from shame.
No, neither the German-Americans
nor any other contingent of citizens
of forei gn extraction "have served
notices. on the President that they
would make it hot for him and his
party unless his policy coincide in
every particular with their individual
opinions. We ''have been frank with
the President it is very true either
in expressing our approval or non-ap-
proval. But on the other hand We
have not stopped to such foolish and
knavish performance as ''to impress
upon the President. that he do this
thing or we will fix him if he does
not. We do not dictate policies or
make threats, but we differ in opinion
on questions that rise and demand
our attention by force of their own
greatness. We are polite people
and, as rule, love to take part in
questions of polity.
Now, why all this vicious nonsense
in essence base insult? Have we
returned the gift Of Columbia's free
dom with such base ingratitude?
When, how, and where was that 'sno-
tice served" or even that disposition
revealed? At no time nor in any
place. We are Americans in patriot
ism and in principle. The notices
served by the erman-Americans, as
we'll as by other adopted citizens, are
notices Of loyalty and devotion to our
country and the eternal principles in
which our government rests. Many
of our fathers fought for the freedom
and liberty that we enjoy. We love
our new fatherland as much as any
man, although we recognize the fact