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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 13, 1902)
June i3, I902 3 franchises granted during the temporary occu pancy of the island. - It will thus be within the power of the permanent government to make such conditions and impose such restrictions as may seem necessary, and it is to be hoped that means will bo taken at once to protect the rights of tho people. In the procession which escorted President elect Palma to his home when he returned from exile, a number of Cuban ladies, represented tho. republics of the Western Hemisphere, the United States being the eldest, Cuba the youngest of tho group. It reminded me of the great banyan tree under which our party rested for a moment as we passed through Kev "West; for are not these re publics much like the banyan tree? Free gov ernment was planted upon American soil a 'cen tury and a quarter ago; it grew and sent forth its branches in every direction, and these branches taking root now support the parent tree; beneath the influence of these republics, separate In their government and yet united in their aspirations, an ever-increasing multitude finds shelter and protec tion. Long live the national banyan tree tho American republics! JJJ Mr. Bryan to the Cubans. Address delivered at the banquet given by tho Cuban veterans to Governor General Wood and his staff Friday evening, May 16, 1902: Mr. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen: I esteem it a great privilege and a high honor to be invited to participate in this memorable occa sion. I am not here to represent the government of the United States. The distinguished soldier and citizen who has represented the American government upon the island with so much ability and success is present to represent my country In an official capacity; but as an American citizen I can congratulate you upon the realization of your hopes, and as an American citizen I can glvo expression to the pride that I feel at the fact that our soldiers and official representatives have con ducted themselves so well that the Cuban veterans tender them this complimentary dinner and ex-t press so much of gratitude and of good will. When asked to respond to- the toast, I could think of no better sentiment than "Patriotism." Of what other sentiment could I think at a banquet given by the veterans of the Cuban army and in the presence of the great soldier (General Gomez) who sits at tho head of tho table tonight, and in the presence of Cuba's favorite son, Senor Estrada Palma, who is to enjoy the honor of be ing the first chief executive of this republic. The word "patriotism" has Taeen translated into every language and its spirit has been ex hibited to a greater or less extent in every land, but nowhere has more patriotism been shown than in this beautiful Isle of the sea, where liberty and independence have been purchased by so much blood and sacrifice. You may well be pardoned for feeling an exultation too deep for expression and in that exultation my countrymen .fully share; and yet I would be less than a friend if I failed to suggest that there are victories before you even greater than the victories already won. The work of self-government is a continuous work and one that taxes both the patience and tho energy of tho citizen. Under an arbitrary government whero the monarch thinks and acts for the subject, tho subject may be indifferent and indolent, but in a republic where the government rests upon the con sent of the governed there is no place for sloth fulness. Patriotism is a virtue which must be dis--played in peace as well as in war, and may be de fined as that love of country which leads tho citi zen to give to his country that which his country needs at the time his country needs it In time of war the citizen may be called upon to die for his country; in time of peace he must live for his country. In time of war he may be called upon to give his body as a sacrifice; in time of peaca The Commoner. M '. his country demands his head and his heart, his intellect and hia conscience. You have shown that you were willing to lay down your lives in order to purchase liberty, now you will be called upon to exhibit self-restraint and moral courage in dealing with the problems of government. It Is written that ho who ruleth his own spirit Is greater than ho that taketh a city. It is too much to oxpect that all things will be done as anyone would like to have them done or that everyone will receive tho reward of which ho and his friends may think hhri deserving; and in hours of disappointment it is well to remember that a person can show more patriotism by suffer ing for a great cause than by enjoying great re wards. ' In time of war your Island was divided and there was much bitterness between those who fought for independence and those who supported tho authority of Spain. Now that you are about to enter upon tho enjoyment of tho blessings of self-government it should bo your purpose to heal all the wounds and to unite tho people In a common destiny. If there bo those who would prefer the sovereignty of Spain to an experiment in self-government, do not abuse them, but con vert them to the doctrines of free government by showing them tho superiority of a republic. It may even be an advantage to those In power to have some citizens who are skeptical and ready to criticise, for It will make public officials more careful of their conduct. Jefferson declares that free government ex ists in jealousy rather than in confidence, and it. is certainly true that public servants are most faithful when their acts are under constant scrutiny. One of the questions with which you will havo to deal is that of public education and you will find it of advantage to lay for your republic a broad and deep foundation by providing for uni versal education. The citizen will appreciate tho advantages of free government in proportion as his mental horizon is enlarged and his capacity for usefulness increased. No one is wise enough to act as a censor in matters of education and select those who are to be sent to school. No one can say upon which child of today the responsibilities of the next gen eration will fall, hence tho nation will find its so-, curity in fitting the largest possible number for full participation in all that concerns the nation's welfare. You rejoice tonight that our nation is going to keep its promise and give the world an example of fidelity to a public trust, and yet it is a cause of congratulation to us as much as to you, for we had more to lose than you if we failed to keep the pledge made at the beginning of the Spanish war. I believe that the citizens of our country aro as happy as you over the successful outcome of your heroic struggle; they will rejoice in all the good fortune that comes to you and they will grieve over any mistake that you may make. They appreciate the gratitude which you express, but they find their reward in the good they have been able to accomplish, for life's happiness is not measured by tho gifts which one receives, but by the contribution which he makes to tho welfare of his fellows. Let me borrow a story which has been used to illustrate the position of the United States: A man wended his way through the streets of a great city. Unmindful of the merchandise exposed on every hand he sought out a store where birds were kept for sale. Purchasing bird after bird ho opened the cages and allowed the feathered song sters to fly away. When asked why he thus squandered his money,. he replied: "I was once a captive myself and I find pleasure in setting even & bird at liberty." The United States once went through tho struggle from which you have just emerged; tho American people once by tho aid of a friendly power won a victory similar to that which you aro now colobrating, and our people find gratifica tion in holplng to open tho door that barred your : way to tho exercise of your political rights. I havo come to witness tho loworing of our flag and tho raising of tho flag of tho Cuban re public; but tho event will bring no humiliation to the people of my country, for it Is hotter that tho 4 stars and stripes should bo indolibly impressed -upon your hearts than that they should float above your heads." Groundless Boasting The republican leaders, from Hanna down, aro shouting "Let well enough alone." They assume tho existence of universal prosperity, and then as-' suming that It is duo to tho republican party, ap peal to the people not to risk a chango of admin istration. Tho plea which they make is so absurd that it seems hardly worth refuting, and yet tho fact that they make it and continue to mako- It, shows, first, that they havo no better argumonts to present, and, second, that they boliovo this ar gument will influence tho voters. That industrial conditions are better than thoy were in tho sum mer of 189G is not disputed by any one, but the im provement is neither as great nor as uniform as republicans assert, and the improvement which !3 noticeable is duo to causes ontirely Independent of republican success. Tho general and perma nent prosperity must begin with' tho farmer, Tho agricultural population amounts to nearly half of the entire population of tho country, and unless farmers are able to buy, tho merchants cannot sell, and until they can sell the mills cannot bo run on full time. Tho farmers' prosperity can only be increased by an increase of tho crop or an in crease in the price of tho crop. Tho republican party has done nothing to increase the size of tho farmer's crop, although it claims credit for tho favorable seasons that havo brought a bountiful' yield to tho husbandman. Insofar as tho farmer's prosperity comes from good crops, it had cer tainly been secured without tho aid of republican leaders or republican lawa. Take the other sourco of prosperity tho price; what has the republican party done to increase the price of any staple farm product? The improvement in price, insofar as there Is improvement, is mVlnly duo to two causes. First, to increased volume of money, and, second, to tho wars that have provailed in Asia, Africa and the West Indies. Tho Boor war drew 250,000 soldiers from tho ranks of labor and threw, upon the government responsibility for their clothing and support. Englauu mortgaged tho future to secure money for immediate distribu tion. During the Spanish war our government had 200,000 soldiers under arms, and since that time has had nearly one hundred thousand. Tho republican party cannot claim credit for an inr. creased volume of money, because the Increase has been due partly to new discoveries of gold a thing neither prophecled nor brought about by tho republican administration partly by tho. money brought into tho country by our exports, a thing not attributable to republican policies, and partly by the coinage of tho silver bullion in tno treasury, a thing which was compelled by tho democrats and objected to by the republicans. The only increase in the currency for which the re publicans can claim credit is the increase In tho bank noto circulation, and this is partly offset by the steps taken for tho retirement of the green backs. . Tho republicans will hardly claim that they brought on tho war in South Africa or continued tho war in the Philippines In order to furnish a market for farm products. It w.IU be seen upon investigation, therefore, that tho republicans aro claiming credit for a condition to which they did not materially contribute. One republican speaiter in a recent speech said that President McKtnley.. found a democratic president issuing bonds to pay the" expenses of tho government, but that