The Mankato free press., 1902-06-06

where General Grant had his head.
quarters during the taking of Mission
ary Ridge when, the armies of Sher-
man, Grant Hooker, Thomas having
the command to assault the rifle pits
at the base of the hills charged, with
out orders, right the declivity-a line
of blue coats and of shining bayonets
four miles long-and captured the
batteries on top, taking hundreds OF
| prisoners. great quantities of am
munition while the enemy, fleeing,
looked back to see the stars and stripes
floating over a land blood stained but
bought and free where Abraham Lin
colin 8 emancipation proclamation had
been given force and meaning.
had also seen in the distance away
to the right, the field Of Chickamauga,
which is dotted with monuments cele-
brating the bravery of both dead and
living soldiers who fought in each
of the contending armies. And
questioned why did these federal SOL
diers fight so sternly and persistently
recalled that history gave them NO
| vengeful battle-cry, such as 'Remem-
ber Fort Sumpter. No, but that their
shout was, "Liberty and Union. "
Yes, they endured the hardships of
war to preserve the country in righ-
teousness and to free four million
slaves.
In this day when the purity of our
rule is being tested as never before we
need to emphasize this spirit of alb
sorbing loyalty. Be not glad because
dishonest officials were found admins
tering affairs in Cuba and in Porto
Rico. Rather be ashamed that there
are persons living in this land, who
for personal gain will seek to delude
the government and will be untrue to
their lofty trust. Although the execu-
tive at Washington may neither please
us or be our choice we should not de-
sire. in order to embarass him, the
confusion of our country before the
nations of the world. Plainly our duty
is not to unfavorably criticize or to
denounce the protectorate into which
our government has been divinely
led, but, to enquire how we may
assist in supporting and establishing
our glorious and beneficial institution
among the people to whose aid we
have gone.
Our national ensign stands for free
dom and for sympathy. It teaches a
lesson which James Russell Lowell
read from the Bible and years since
put into poetry:
"Men whose boast it is that ye
Come of fathers brave and free,
If there breath on earth a slave
Are ye really true and brave?"
The love of liberty was as spark in
the bosoms of our colonial fathers. In
the free air Of this continent it has
blown into fame which has mounted
up toward the-sk to light the whole
world. Let me declare, therefore, that
genuine Americanism will tolerate no
tyrant political or ecclesiastical and,
because this attitude must be main
tained to safeguard its own in
heritance it reaches out with profound
sympathy to every people who may be
struggling to be free whether they be
in Poland or in Cuba. Sheer on, oh
cynic, at the supposed mercenary mo-
tives which embroiled US in the war
with Spain, it yet remains true that
the sight of helpless and starving hu-
manity crushed beneath the heel of a
cruel despotism, melted us pitifully to
undertake it's relief. I find myself in
agreement with a certain journalist
who in 1899 penned the following
words:
"When the unprejudiced historian
Of the twentieth century writes of the
Spanish American war he will decide
that il was justifable, necessary and
begun in the light of the principles set
forth in our Lords parable of the
Good Samaritan. The banners of the
United States have been preceded by
the Red Cross Flag and will be follow
Ell by school book and Bibles.
We are seeing the realization of
these prophetical words. The flag has
indeed been followed by the school
teacher and the gospel minister. Upon
the soil of our newly acquired posses
sions the foundation stones OF free in
struction and pure religion are being
laid. It is true that in opening the
door for these messengers there has
been governmental abuses and mis-
takes of incompetency, but the indivi-
dual who believes and asserts that our
relations with the people of Cuba or
of the Philippine islands have been al
together banefuI that the country is
favorable to and the administration is
pursuing an aggressive and arrogant
policy of imperialism either lacks the
intelligence to interpret the trend of
events or disbelieves in the sincerity
and the liability of the generous senti-
ments entertained and expressed by
the people generally. He does not
justly appreciate that influence, which,
although mighty commercialism op-
poses itself can force politicians to do
partial justice to the sugar markets
of Cuba. He does not see that in the
logic of events this small triumph will
be followed by the securing of complete
Justice.
Ny hearers, the boys and girls of
America will live to see the present
age recognized as an epoch in the
worlds making. Washington stood
for the independence of his own people
from foreign dictation and oppression.
Lincoln stood for the rights and the
emancipation of the domestic slave
and Mckinley stood for the deliver
ance of the national weak neighbor
from alien despotism. And our coun-
try should continue to make advance
ment in this direction until it becomes
true that wherever the banner of
America floats, there the people will
receive unmixed benefit, freedom and
justice. In this connection the words
of President Palma of Cuba to the
first congress of the Island Republic.
He says: Together with our own
heroism is the attitude of the great
people who were moved by their own
love of liberty to put themselves on
our side in our tenacious fight for the
independence of the country. @..Their
motive was pure and disinterested in
origin.
The stars and stripes also stand fol
protection and l mean by that the de-
fense of the individual in his right tc
happiness, purity and health. Jealous
to save the Cubans from a wretched
tyranny the nations ought to be deeply
anxious to protect her own citizen
from the attack of a subtle, insiduou