The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-04-11


they think Of the young men who left
good homes, left the influence OF noble
mothers and pure society. bid farewell
possibly, for the last time. TO loved ones
to go afar Off to fght for his common
country ana flag? These bright sons Of
America are those who have borne the
burden in the heat OF the day; these
are the men who have suffered the
hardshlps and prlvations OF q severe
campaign They have marched through
jungles and swamps. and slept In bam-
boo shacks filed with all manner OF
contaglon. These are the men who
stood on outpost duty dark nights while
Agulnaldo and his half-clvIlized follow
ers were rejoicing over speeches made
by antI-imparlalists. These poor boys
want to the hospital broken down by
disease. contracted by the exposure Of
the rainy season. Yea, gone to the
hospital never to come back again.
Others more fortunate, have stayed
on the line to see that the man whom
Mr.. W. J. Bryan compares with George
Washington will not gain any foothold
over the flag that knows not defeat by
a foreign foe, while others are shot
down by the enemy, who are constants
ly speaking OF the great Democratic
party who are going to give them their
liberty after the election of 1900
Do not these people in America, II
they arc sane, realize that the blood Of
these poor boys is on their hands?
Speak to them about such a thing, and
they will put up a howl about free
speech. l believe in free speech, but !
think the word in their sense of put
ting H. is abused as badly as the word
colonel when it is applied to W. j.
Bryan, the leader of the Democratic
party of to-day. Some Of these people
tell how competent the Filipincs are
to govern themselves and II they
would admit the truth they never knew
anything about the Islands until Adj
mlrnl Dewey sank the Spanish feet
there. May /, 1898,
These people are no more 1T to gov
ern themselves than the North Ameri-
can Indian. They do not know the first
principle of civil government. All they
know is to steal from their neighbor,
and II he complains. bolo him the first
opportunity that presents itself.
Again the cry goes up BY the anti
imperlalists. or, in other words, the
Democratic party. that we are trying
to rule these peoplr without the consent
OF the people. That is nonsense. Let
us recall few instances of history to
prove to the people that expansion is
the proper thing. The Democratic party
has prided itself In Jefferson, the faith
or of the Democratic party Jefferson
was an eXpansiOnist Of the strongest
nature. In the evolution of u hundred
years the presidency has reached the
dignity and power desired by Washing
ton but denied by all his contemporary
les except Hamilton. The possibilities
of the chief magistracy were discovered
by Jefferson when he surrendered con-
stitutional scruples for national safety
by the purchase of Louisiana. They
startled the country when Genera.
Jackson seized the sovereign state Of
South Carolina by the throat, Was
this done by the consent Of the inhabi-
tants?
The necessities of the situation In
our island prutectorate and possessions
have devolved still greater duties and
graver responsibilities on President
Mckinley.
The President Of the United States is
now the most powerful ruler in the
world, but only as the executive OF a
free people, to whom every four years
he surrenders his office and preroga-
tives.
American rule is just what these
people want in order to amount to
anything. Was there not great kick
by some concerning the acquisition Of
Texas. and New Mexico? Yet we an
nexel them even at the cannon's
mouth and without consulting the In
habitantj OF either. Have they not
proven valuable territory?
In two years from now / predict that
these people VIII realize what all other
people have realized in the past, that
American liberty asslmilntes all races
which come under its Influence and
authority II not only converts the i'm
migrants from every land into good cit
liens. but 1t has made the territory OF
Spanish Florida, OF French Louisiana,
anu OF MeNlCan leNtS, iHllluIHluS ATT
IONA and New Mexico. the safe seats
and centers OF material prosperity and
political power It's educating and up
| lifting force is already producing bene-
flccnt results In Cuba Puerto Rico and
Hawaii. In less than ten years 1t will
change the far east from brigandage
and anarchy TO God-fearinE and
thrifty country
Then let us stand by the President,
he who is bearing all these grave re-
sponsIbllltics without n murmur. Let
us hold up his hands, and as true
Americans stand by the administra
tun, the most successful we have had
since that Of Lincoln.
II is our duty TO keep the Philip
pines. and where "Old Glory" once
| floats let her never come down
HARRY c. HESS,
Corporal. Company T., Seventeenth U.
S. Infantry.
REACHING THE SPOT.