Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-03-06

mission, promising unreserved devotion
ON my part to their faithful discharge,
and reverently invoking for my guild
ance the direction and favor of AL
mighty God | should shrink from
the duties this day assumed If l did
not feel that in their performance
should have the cooperation of the
wise and patriotic men of all parties.
1t encourages me for the great task
which now undertake to believe that
those who voluntarily committed to
me the trust imposed upon the chief
executive of the republic will give to
me generous support in my duties to
preserve. protect, and defend the con-
stitution of the United States" and to
"care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted." The national purpose is indi-
Gated through a national election. 1t
is the constitutional method of ascer-
tanning the public will. When once it
is registered 1t is a law to us all, and
faithful observance should follow its
DEGREES.
Strong hearts and helpful hands are
needed. and fortunately we have them
in every part of our beloved country.
We are reunited. Sectionalism has dis
appeared. Division on public questions
can no longer he traced by the war
maps of 1861. These old differences
less and less disturb the Judgment.
Existing problems demand the thought
and quicken the conscience Of the c0un-
try, and the responsibility for their
presence as we'll rs for their righteous
settlement rests upon us all-no more
upon ME than upon you. There are
some national questions In the solu-
ton of which patriotism should ex-
clude partisanship. AIagnifying their
difficulties will not take them off our
hands nor facilitate their adjustment.
Distrust of the capacity, integrity,
and high purposes of the American
people will not be an inspiring theme
for future political contests. Dark
pictures and gloomy forebodings are
worse than useless. These only becloud,
they do not help to point. the way of
safety and honor. Hope maketh not
ashamed" The prophets of evil We're
not the builders of the republics, nor
in its crisis since have they saved or
served 1t. The faith of the fathers
was mighty force in Its creation,
and the faith of their descendants has
wrought its progress and furnished its
defenders. They are obstructionists
who despair and who would destroy
confidence in the ability CT our people
to solve wisely and for civilization the
mighty problems resting upon them.
The American people. intrenched in
freedom at home, take their love for
it with them wherever they go, and
they reject as mistaken and unworthy
the doctrine thatwe lost our own lib
critics by securing the enduring founda-
lions of liberty to others. Our insti-
tutions will not deteriorate by extern
sion. ana our sense of Justice will not
nbate under tropic suns in distant
seas. AS heretofore SO hereafter will
the nation demonstrate its fitness to
administer any new estate which
events devolve upon it, and in the fear
of God will take occasion by the hand
and make the bounds of freedom wider
yet" If there are those among US
who would make our way more diff
cult we must not be disllenrtened, but
the more earnestly dedicate ourselves
to the task which we have rightly en-
tered, The path of progress is sell
dom smooth. New things are often
found hard TO do. Our fathers found
them so. We find them so They are
inconvenient. They cost us something.
But are we not made better for the ef-
fort and sacrifice. and are not those
we serve lifted up and blessed?
We will he consoled. too, with the
fact that opposition hns confronted
every onward movement of the repub-
lie from its opening hour until now,
but without success. The republic
has marched on and on, and its every
step has exalted freedom and human
ity. We are undergoing the same or
deal MS did our predecessors nearly a
century ago. VIC are following the
course they blazed. They triumphed.
Will their successors falter and plead
organic impotency in the nation? Sure
ly after 1875 years of achievement for
mankind we will not now surrender
our equality with other powers on
matters fundamental and essential to
nationality. With no such purpose
was the nation created. In no such
spirit has 1t developed its full and in
dependent sovereignty, We adhere to
the principle of equality among our
selves and by no act of ours will we
assign to ourselves subordinate rank
in the family or nations.
My fellow citizens. the public events
of the past four years have gone into
history. They are too near to justify
recital. Some of them We're unfor.
seen; many of them momentous and
far-reaching in their consequences to
ourselves and our relations with the
rest of the world. The part which
the United States bore so honorably
In the thrilling scenes in China, while
new to American life, has been in har-
mony with Its true spirit and best ira.
ditions, and In dealing with the re-
suits It's policy will be that Of modera-
ton and fairness.
We face at this moment a most
important question-that of-the future
relations Of the United States and
Cuba. With our near neighbors we
must remain close friends. The dec.
laration of the purposes of this govern
ment in the resolution of April 20,
1898. must be made good. Ever since
the evacuation of the island by the
army of Spain the executive, with all
practicable speed. has been assisting
Its people in the successive steps neces-
sary to the establishment of a free
and independent governmnt prepared
to assume and perform the obliga-
items Of International law which now
rest upon the United States under the
treaty of Paris. The convention elect
ed by the people to frame constitu-
tion Is approaching the completion of
Its labors
The transfer of American control to
the new government Is OF such great
Importance, involving an obligation re-
sulting from our Intervention and the
treaty Of peace. that I am glad to be
advised by the recent act of congress
of the policy which the legislative
branch of the government deems es-
eential to the best interests of Cuba
and the United States. The principles
which led to our Intervention require
that the fundamental law upon which
the new government rests should be
adapted tosecure government capable
of performing the duties and discharg-
ing the functions of separate nation.
of observing It's international obliga-
lions, of protecting life and property.
insuring order, safety and liberty, and
conforming to the established and his
torical policy of the United States In
Its relation to Cuba.
The peace which we are pledged to
leave to the Cuban peOple must carry