The National tribune., 1902-06-05
A GREAT SPEECH.

The American people dearly love a man
who has the courage of his convictions,
and therefore the Presidents speech at
Arlington meets with universal applause.
in spite of selfish and partisan efforts TO
decry it. 1t was a very great speech. be-
cause it said boldly. frankly and unniinc-
ingly what every true American thinks.
1t is infinitely contemplate to be try
ing to make partisan capital out Of as
saults upon the men who are gallantly
upholding the honor of the Flag in the
Philippines. There are any number of
live and very important issues before the
people. so that there is no necessity for
any politician being driven to this Gegrad-
ing resort TO obtain prominence.
No matter what any man may think of
the policy of entering the Philippines in
the first place. he must admit. if at all
candid and right-thinking, that having put
our hands to the plow. we can not, in com
mon honor and decency. turn back from
it. We could not decently turn away
from the Philippines any more than we
could from Cuba after the battle of San
tiago. Had we left Cuba after the Span
ish flag had been hauled down. we should
have left the island Il prey to as great
evils as those from which we had deliver
ed it. Anarchy. murder, wholesale rob
berry would have reigned. and we should
have received the just condemnation of
the whole civilized world. We did in Cuba
what the best sense of the world highly
applauds. and we are doing the same in
the Philippines. There never has been
a moment in the Philippines since Dewey
fired the first gun in Manila Bay when
we could have honOrably and decently
done otherwise than we have done. There
would have been no end to the deserved
Jeers and condemnation of the world il
we had done otherwise. What we shall
do there in the future depends as wholly
upon what circumstances demand as our
past course has depended upon the i'm
perative demand of circumstances. But
we know for certain that we must go
ahead as we. are now doing until robbers.
murderers and thieves are eXtirpatcd or
suppressed until peace reigns all over the
until every man is secure in his
person. and the possession of the fruits of
his laborS. and until the full sunlight of
every corner of the islands and the Ameri-
can Flag waves in unquestioned suprem-
acT, as the emblem of universal Peace
and Right. As the President well says:
Just at this moment the army of the
United States. led by men who served
among yOu i'll the great war. is CARRYING
to completion small but peculiarly try
ing and difficult war i'll which is involved
not only the honor of the flag. but the
triumph of civilization over forces which
stand FOR the black chaos of Savagery and
barbaiism. The task has not been as diff
icult or as important as yours, but. oh.
my comrades. the men in the uniform of
the United States. who have for the last
three years patiently and uncomplainingly
the American cause in the
Philippine Islands are your younger broth
,rs, your sons. They have shown them
selves not unworthy of you. and they are
entitled to the support of all men who |
ire proud Of what you did.
These younger comrades of yours have
fought under terrible difficulties and have
received terrible provocation from Il very
.ruel and very treacherous enemy Under
he strain of these prOvocations | deeply
iepiOre to say that some among them
have so far forgotten themselves as to
and commit, in retaliation, acts of |
.rueity. The fact that for every guilty |
lct committed by one of our troops hun
ired acts of far greater atrocity have
,een committed by the hostile natives upon
our troops Or upon the peaceable and law
abiding natives who are friendly to us
be held to excuse any wrong-doer |
IN our side. Determined and answering |
.ffort must be made. and is being made, |
o find out every instance of barbarity on |
he part of our troops, to punish those !
guilty of it, and to take. If possible, even |
stronger measures than have already been |
aiken to minimize or prevent the occur
'ence of all such instances in the future"
This is precisely what The National
Tribune has taught. The army in the
Philippines is the worthy heir and sue
,essor of the one which put down the re-
,ellion. 1t is exemplifying the lessons
aught by our service. 1t is fighting as
We fought, dealing with the cxigencies |
which rise from day to day precisely as |
We dealt with them. 1t is commanded by |
men who served in the ranks with us. and |
is ranks are filled with our sons-soldiers |
who received from us lessons as to cour- |
ige, fortitude, right and justice.
Lacking the brains and principle TO |
formulate and uphold real issues, the sons
md SUCCESSORS of the men who attempted |
o befoul us are now grossly slandering |
md maligning the men who are now
'ravely, faithfully and unwearyingly do |
ng the work which the honor of the Flag |
md the civilization Of the twentieth CEN
ury demand: The assaults of these mod
I'm copperheads are as cruel and venom
JUS as those of their predecessors. But |
IS Whittier wrote during the rebellion:
The mower mows on, though the serpents
may writhe,
And copperheads cling around the blade Of |
his scythe."
The Presidents speech sets the key to
rue patriotism, and the country is much
happier and better for it.