Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-10

tie war. With pledge to give Cuba
stable government and chance to
manage its own affairs after such gey-
eminent shall be established, the
United States is today preparing them
for self and stable government. When
lit is safe to do so we will
withdraw, and let us hope that those
patriotic Cubans who suffered so long
may build up 4 little republic and be-
come once more peaceful, happy and
prosperous people. Porto Rico is
now being organized with civil gov
eminent best suited TO the people of
that island. The efforts of the presi-
dent of the United States and of con-
gress to relieve those unfortunate peo-
pie from want and to aid them to be-
come self-sustaining and prosperous
and qualified for self-govcrnment is
worthy OF all praise.
You hear men say that the repub-
lican party has become 'oppressive.'
that we have lost the spirit of 49,
The republican party is more alive to
the value of liberty than ever before,
since the days of the revolution. The
spirit of liberty and the love of hui
manity were SO aroused in the hearts
of the people of the United States as
they witnessed the oppression of
cruelties of Spanish domination. in
dealing with the struggling, starving
Cubans, that they rose up almost as
one man and said by the Eternal,
such cruelties must stop Cuba will
soon become independents; Porto Rico
will become prosperous: the Hawaiian
territory is organized into 4 territor-
ial government with the constitution
and the laws of the United States eN-
tended over it. We are now going OH
in the discharge of our duty toward
the people of all these islands.
who can gainsay this plain, unvar-
nished story? Who can find fault
with the great work of the nation
for the last three or four years I'M
der the leadership of our republican
administration? No broad-minded,
liberty-loving, patriotic man can do
it. OF course there have been little
mistakes and uerhaps some eXtrava
gancies. 1t would be marvel If
otherwise. But the great things ac-
complished places this administra-
ton above all others since the admin
istration of Abraham Lincoln.
Our democratic friends exhaust
their physical and mental strength
about little things. They are like
some iawyers-they see the little
things in a case but always miss the
important ones if there are any. Our
democratic friends have spent nearly
all the present session of congress
writing resolutions of inquiry, calling
upon the president and different mem
bers of his cabinet, hoping to discover
some little irregularity about which
they could consume week or two of
criticism or debate in finding fault
for campaign use While our demo-
cratic friends are feeling about for lit
tie things, the administration and the
republicans in congress are forging
ahead trying to carry out their pledges
Tor the benefit of the people.
"A democrat is put up that way,
comings. The only thing the people
must do, is simply to let him alone.
and be careful to prevent his
party from getting control of the gov
eminent. AS a, newspaper party in the
state once said about the Illinois leg
isla1ure then in session, Individually
they were nice men, but collectively
they were a bad Hot
In a few weeks our national repub-
lican convention will be held in the old
Quaker city of Philadelphia nearby
Independence Hall, where hangs the
Liberty Bell which rang out the glad
news of American independence. Nc
Kinley, the gallant and wise president,
will be renominated with some patri-
otto man like the governor of New
York for Vice President. A little la
ter, another convention will be
held in Kansas City, and another
presidential candidate will be called
for. And he will come down from Ne
braska like Buffalo Bills Rough Rid
ers, flashing his mismatched bronchos,
named 'Anti-Imperialism and Six
teen to One his name is
William Jennings Bryan. He
will be nominated together with
Tom Watson or some other populist
on the Chicago platform.
"Relying upon the principles and
precepts which have made ours the
best government ever known, Mckinley
will be reelected and will contiue to
administer the affairs of this country
four years more, and, as he has in the
past, he will in the future continue to
make AN ideal president.
but, fellow citizens, let us not
stop here in the contemplation of ach-
ievements of the; past four years.
What more has been done? The re-
publican party has fulfilled every pro-
mise. We have settled and put TO rest
the currency controversary, which has
been a constant menace to the business
of the country. The republican party
is the friend and protector OF business
and labor, of poor and rich alike, and
when it becomes responsible for natl
onal affairs, good times prevail and
prosperity prevades the land. Blu heW
prosperity prevades the land. But
when the people become restless and,
in an hour of recilessness, forget the
history of the past and vote the demo-
cratic ticket, if the party of ruins and
disaster shall come into power, they
suffer for it as certain as the seasons
come and go.
'.The record OF the United States
for the last three years or more has
illumined every page of the American
history. While we have been vic
torious in war, yet Peace hath her