Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-06-09
The reading Of the faces what have

/ Wv tSHuihS va tht iu'tdy HdNt
seen today and what I have seen to-
night. here. have convinced me that
I In November next the Republican ban
ners will be found waving In victory
| from one border of the state to the
other.
/ Looking at the old flag | can see
I the history of the United States in
the last 40 years. the years OF Repub-
| lican supremacy-what wonderful
transformations. what marvellous
growth-exceeding not only the
prophecies of political leaders. but
even the dreams OF those who We're
thought Missionaries. 1t is but Al years
ago when this flag was trailed in the
dust. dishonored in 10 of the states,
of the Union. every day shot to pieces
by the murderous bullets of an organ
lied confederacy-an today 1t floats
over n perfect union, not the formal
union described by the federal consti-
tuition, but union cemented together
by one nation by the illlmitable love
each nation bears for the stars and
stripes.
Forty years ago that flag was
dropping into humiliation and shame
before all the nations of the earth.
who refused to recognize 1t as the en-
blem of a great nation. And on this
beautiful day there is not civilized
nsn on the face of the earth that does
not take off his hat to the stars and
stripes. And that encompasses only
a little of what has been accomplish
ed in the 40 years of Republican su-
premacy.
II see men before me wearing this
little bronze button. and | want to say
here that no badge was ever pinned
upon human breast that carries so
much of reverence, of patriotism, of
devotion as does that little emblem.
have seen the cross of the Legion of
Honor of France. ablaze with Jewels
have seen the iron cross with
which that stern nation. Germany re-
wards her heroes on the field of bat
tie, have seen the cross with which
England rewards her brave, but ]
have never seen any badge. any med
al, any decoration by which mems
hearts are so stirred as by that lit
tie button of bronze which rises and
falls with the heart beats of a member
Of the Grand Army of the Republic.
! remember these heroes. to whose
devotion In the troublous times we
owe the fact that the azure flag of old
glory still has Its every star. But
when they fought for 1t, when the
sun kissed the shores of the golden
cate It bade goodbye to the striped
folds, but now. while we are in the
shades of night the MONDAY sun in
The islands of the Pacific is kissing its
crimson Into flame as 1t proclaims
the sovereignty of the United States
in the far away Philippines,
"And even as the people love the
bows who wear the little bronze but
tons, do they today love the boys who
are TODAY marching and camping and
fighting in the swamps and under the
palms. And the great. patriotic JUS
tice-loving American public will not
allow anyone to stain the character of
the American soldier, no matter un-
der what sky he may be fighting. We
shall love the boys of 1902 Just as we
love the boys of 81. and they will be
carried on when their work is done. in
the hearts and in the memories of the
| American people to that reward
which we have reserved for them"
Governor Cummins described in
glowing language the present suprem-
acy of the nation He interrupted
himself to say;
Sometimes when contemplate the
glory which surrounds the nation. 7
| forget to be partisan. But | believe
this, that If could succeed in placing
the flag in the hands of every voter
in the country, and If could impress
upon his mind all that flag means
and all that 1t stands for, and light
the flame of patriotism in every mans
heart, the Republican ticket would be
elected unanimously. ! will not say
that all Democrats are not patriots,
but | will paraphrase an old saying,
and | will say. "All Republicans are
patriots-there may be others"
In closing his remarks, Governor
Cummins spoke of the great good that
| the policy of protection had brought
to this nation, and declared that
though he was still protectionist he
believed that If II was found that
monopolies were being established
and that competition which Is a ne
cessity of business life was being de
stroyed by combinations of capital
he would be in favor of letting in the
competition of the world. He pointed
out that it was the Republican party
which had placed upon the statute
books the only laws by which the
trusts are being proceeded against
by Republican president
Mayor Wright was loudly applauded
when he came to the platform His
topic was "The Copperheads."
"As for Copperheads." he said
when was young we used to speah
of Copperheads as the men who fired
at our soldiers from behind. We
have few of them today. A Cop
perhead is a man who would strike
YOU in the back"
A. NJ. Stevenson was the last speak
er. He spoke of the American Sol
der" He said the soldiers of 1856
had done more for their country an'
for their children, and their children
children than would ever be don'
] again in this or any other country,