Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-23
AMONG THE VETERANS
Roosevelt Spends Day with Spanish War
Comrades New in Detroit.
MAKES ADDRESS At THEIR REUNION
To Hear it Thousands Pack Large Light
Guard ArmSry,
ERSTWHlLE VOLUNTEERS ENTHUSIASTIC
They Cheer the Colonel Until he Has to
Order Silence
'sTwHlLE VOLUNTEERS ENTHUSIASTIC
CLARA BARTON HAS SEAT NEXT HIS
General UrelI Gives "The Good Anger
the Place of Honor, to the De-
light of the Men in
the Audience.

Nell : Two udyS NlSiI came 10 an en0 AT
the conclusion of a banquet rendered him
in Light Guard armory by the Spanish
war veterans, whose third annual reunion
he attended this morning II was a brill
liant affair. Nearly 500 men sat at tables
on the floor OF the armory and the CALLER
les were crowded to their utmost capacity
by brilliantly gowned women and their es-
corts. The armory was decorated in green
and white maple branches and electric
lights were everywhere. When the presi-
dent rose to begin his address, which was
the first of the evening, he received an
ovation. THE men on the floor stood UP
and cheered again and again, while the
elapping Of hands in the gallery was like
the crackle of musketry. The president
spoke as follows:
To His Comrades.
Mr.. Mayor, Men and Women of Michigan
Volunteered in the War with SPAIN |
thank you for your greeting. The first en-
accepted the invitation so kindly extended
TO me by the mayor of this city to speak
him es aid ioa and es Shs nE
The war with Spain, though from It such
great consequences have flowed, was i'm
itself but small war, and in the presence
of the veterans of the Grand Army all we
generation showed desire TO come up to
the standard set by our fathers, the men
The war itself was an easy one. The
tasks left behind us, though glorious, have
,,'a neen haIo gu, inc men q the Spanish
fought in Cuba and Porto Rico and in the
Philippines, won renown for the country,
added to its moral grandeur and to its ma
terial prosperity, but you also left duties
to be done by those who came after you.
administrative and it has been so well done
that very little need be said about IT. In
extreme difficulty. But after three years
of bitter fighting peace has been won by
ment has been introduced, so that the
islanders have greater opportunities for
LIE. opportunity port ihy and the pursuit Of hap
during their recorded history.
FiIipipos' Prospects.
Last week ordered taking of census
OF the islands and two years hence, ac-
cording to the law of congress. the first
pie a legislative assembly. No other Orr
entail country In the possession of a foreign
power, indeed, no Oriental country at all
save Japan, has been given any such meas
ure of self-goYernment and personal free
dom as we have already given to the Fill
one of the most important recent meas
ures has been the providing of a cable for
the Philippines, this being necessary both
from a commercial and from military
With Cuba the matter is different We
pledged ourselves solemnly at the outbreak
| Of the war with Spain to give to Cuba
| independence. The world at large sneered
| at the pledge and even some Of our own
| people scofted at the thought that we in
in good faith and with a keen regard for
! the welfare Of the Cubans. We did not
anarchy. We first administered the affairs
| of the island until order had been brought
out out of OF chaos l. t until the cities had been
| system started and a just and efficient
| government introduced Then we turned
| whom its people had elected as its serv-
ants, and bade it Godspeed on its journey.
Must stin Befriend Cuba.
But neither our duty to nor our interests
| in the island have come to an end with
immediate proximity to the United States
rendered its well being of such interest to
us that we were forced to interfere in it's
| reason its future welfare cannot but be n
matter Of grave concern to US We do not
nation In the relation OF intimate friendship
| and alliance that we desire to see IL adopt
| toward us. 1t must therefore be in a GER
tain sense a part of our international politi-
| cal system and 1t accepted this position
when II accepted the Platt amendment.
But II is out Of place for US TO expect that
it will assume such a position toward us
| with regard to international politics with
out at the same time sharing somewhat In
the benefits of our economic system. II
| was for this reason that President McKin-
ley urged and that have since urged and
shall continue to urge the need of estab-
fishing closer relations with Cuba by reel
procity. We urge reciprocity because II Is
for our interest to control the Cuban mar
ket, because we are bound to place the
Cubans on peculiar standing economically
%htb ber JreS to sss1e m 0er pecYar as
internationally and because II Is fitting for
great and generous republic to stretch
sister just starting to tread the path of
independence.
without Parallel.
The case stands by itself and there can
be no other like II. Porto Rico, Hawaii and
intimacy TO us and they have either been
! admitted within our economic system or
seeP Eyen bs9gS 2 shs benefits ssS
stands In peculiar position toward us
and should receive in similar fashion. a
sion Within hi Om our system @ ano the Questions i
that ordinarily concern us as OF prime
weight in tariff matter do not come in
here as OF primary importance. We cannot
choose what the articles are which Cuba
shall export Doubtless very many Of US
our own tariff policy that her inhabitants
were engaged in different industries from
| which they a mattes OF fact now follow,
just as doubtless others Of our people
would prefer that the market offered by
Cuba was one for other things than those
she demands but we can neither determine
the wants nor the productions of Cuba.
No Harm In Reciprocity.
do not believe a particle Of harm will
come 10 any American interest from the
adoption OF a reasonable measure OF reel
: procity with Cuba. / am certain the adop-
tion OF such a measure will be In the In
terest Of our people as a whole. Above all
while fully recognizing the high-mindedness
, and sincerity OF those Of my associates
I with whom on this point / differ, yet fee
| most strongly that by every consideration
!, | OF a generous and far-sighted public policy
, We are bound TO prove TO Cuba that ouI
| friendship with her in her struggle was
! for the material well being which mus
| underlie healthy national development
! This country has never been called upor
| 10 meet crisis In war or crisis In peace
D 10 which Il did not eventually prove equa
Z | and decade by decade IT'S power grows
;, Z greater and the likelihood OF its meetiul
: | successfully any crisis becomes even NOR
y assured. I preach the gospel Of hope. mer
J. OF the west who IN thought embOdy th'
~ / gospel OF hope. OF resOlute and firm belle
: IN your powers and the destiny OF thii
mighty republic. 'eve In the future