La Junta tribune., 1916-10-14
1T WAS PROPHETIC
Eugene Wares Famous WAR
Sperch-War Is Worth All the
Money and Lives II Costs

wares, delivered In October, 1896,
before the Topeka High School up
on the occasion OF the raising of the
United States flag.
This speech of Mr.. Wares was de-
livered at the time when Weyler was
in the very zenith OF his Cuban
atrocities and the blood of every
liberty loving American was boil
ing with Indignation.
Mr.. Wares speech was extensive
ly copied and commented upon. As
he himself admitted afterward-
I'm the criticisms | have cut out
of the newspaper | can show that ]
was bloodthirsty scoundrel by
general concensus of the press
The speech is of especial interest
just at this time and is reprinted
in full. Mr.. Ware said:
1T is a pleasure to me as a cit
izen OF Topeka to see so many hap
py and winning faces. and II is also
pleasure to me as an old soldier
to speak word or two about the
flag.
THE flag which we raise today Is
one almost new in the family Of
flags. II is the flag OF the only gen
uine republic the world has ever
seen: II Is the flag OF the only ma
toan In which the people have ever
ruled. II IL the only flag which
gives a prophecy OF the future. To
introduce this flag. to keep II afloat
on land and on sea. to fight its bat
ties. uphold Its honor and support
its triumphant march from ocean
to ocean. has cost the lives OF more
able bodied men that any OF you
have ever seen or ever will see dur
ing life. II has cost more than I
ever saw. II has cost more In value
OF gold and silver than all OF you
combined have ever seen or will
ever see through your entire lives.
Yes. hundred times more: perhaps
a thousand times more.
who paid the cost OF this great
flag which we soldiers call Old
Glory? Your ancestors. yours and
mine. Some of them came from
England, Scotland or Ireland, that
great empire. the cradle of our laws:
some from Scandinavia, where
heroes have always lived: some
from Germany. the land OF song and
yalor. But whenever our ancestors
came. they knew the value OF liberty
and what II cost and they paid the
price without a murmur. Those an
cestors OF ours were great men and
women. They knew what was in
the future and planned great events
which they could not live to see.
why were all this money and all
these lives spent for this cause. be-
cause the flag stands for good order
and the protection OF public and
private rights. The right TO work.
the right to be paid for II, and the
right to enjoy the proceeds. The
man who raises his hand against
the flag raises II agains, all life. all
liberty, all property and when any
hand. at home or abroad. Is raised
against the flag. everyone should be
ready to fight and defend II,
I'm the army. as Il should be else
where, the flag II never allowed To
touch the ground. If the standard
bearer II shot. the flag Il caugh,
before II falls and kept afloat. II
IN no, question of life. but OF dis
cipline and duty and that Is where
millions OF your ancestors and bill
lions OF their money have gone. and
you have the benefit OF II. You
must not consider wars a great and
unmised evil. You will hear war de-
nounced as the source OF all human
wron. and woe. DO not believe H..
Wars are often benefits: they are
the sehoolinss OF the nations. To
them We practically owe what We
have Of peace. progress and prosper
ity.
"The United States never lost n
dollar by war. We gained our inde-
pcndence at home In one war: In
another war We gained our inde-
pendencc at sea. In another We nc.
quIred the wilderness of California.
which IL our destiny TO M. and We
acquired the empire Of the Pacific.
We eliminated slavery with another.
and with each war We got renewed
patriotism and after each the old
flag represented a wider territory. a
nobler dream OF a greater destiny. I
am one who believes In war as an
educator. as u part OF our public
-st. Al -.