The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-11-02
GEO. 7. GIBBS DELIVERS
A few HOT SHOTS AT THE
NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

A good many years ago, l cannot
recollect the exact year, an Austrian
came to this country and filed his in
tentions of becoming a citizen of the
United States. Some two years later
he went back TO his native country
on business. He was arrested for
service in the army. He claimed
citizenship in the United States. The
Austrian authorities would not recog-
nize his claim. Captain Inghram
commander of a U. 5. war vessel
was sent to demand his release. An
Austrian officer came on board with
the refusal of the demand. Captain
Inghram ordered the decks cleared
for action and said to the Austrian
official, IF Martin KostZa is not de-
Iivered aboard my ship inside of two
hours, | will open fire on the city.
He got his man promptly and brought
him home. Few things have ever
happened in our country that created
so much excitement and met with
such hearty approval of the American
people as the rescue of Martin kostZa.
Again a naturalized American citi-
zen went over to Algeria. He was
taken prisoner by a gang supposed to
be in league with the government A
big ransom was demanded. When
the matter was brought to the atten-
tion of the administration at Wash.
ington, Secretary of State, John Hay,
sent the famous dispatch 'Perdicaris
alive or Raisuli dead" Again We got
our man and all America applauded.
Going back to 1861. that grand old
Democratic general issued tie order
IF any man attempts to pull down
the American flag, shoot him on the
spot" Two million boys in blue
struggled for four years on the bloody
battle fields 10 maintain that senti-
ment. and then they went home, leav-
ing Old Glory floating in the breezes
over all this great country without a
single stain.
Fifty seven years ago the 29th of
December, / sailed into fol eign port
where the ships of nearly all ma
tions of the earth We're assemble, l
took off my hat to the stars and
stripes and said. There she floats, 1
the grandest and most beautiful of
them all, the emblem of liberty, JUS
tice and protection to all who come
under her fold, and acknowledged al
legiance whether native or foreign
born; there she floats without stain
OF dishonor or injustice to anyone
beautiful old flag"
But what could | say now? During |
he ldSl IuTte years anu
children have appealed to it in vain. |
They have been murdered on the |
high seas and in Mexico by the thous- |
ands, and others have had TO appeal |
TO foreign nations for protection. In |
one instance the American council !
asked the British council to protect |
our citizens, admitting that lie could |
not do it. At Tampico the fleet was |
ordered out twelve miles 10 sea so
that Old Glory might not be there to
extend protection to tie 1000 Ameri- |
cans in the town, and God alone
knows what might have happened to
them if the commandeT Of German
vessel had not come TO their rescue.
And all OF this in the name OF De-
mocracy and peace at any price,
But the greatest insult OF all comes
from our Secretary of War, Newton
n. Baker, who, in defense of the Pres
idents policy, says that the soldiers
OF the American Revolution were no
better than the raiders lead By the
bandits in Mexico at the present
time.
The stain upon our flag and our ma
tional honor will have to be atoned for
but the stain can never be wiped out.
Like the spots of blood in Macbeth,
il will not come out AS for Mr.. Bak-
er, we will have to write him down
along with Nero who Kicked his
mother in the belly when she was
;tb.,ut to produce another tair to The
thIone.
oh, we'll, what's the uGe-l can't
do the subject justice. The question
now is, will the American PEOPLE sane
ton sucn doilgs at the polls n the
9TH of November? If they do what
will become of our Republican form
of government? II looks Ike the be-
ginning of the end.
GEORGE T. GIBBS.