And State Papers 31 1 



to and fro across the Southern States in the Civil 

 War; but a struggle fraught with consequences to 

 the Nation, and indeed to the world, out of all 

 proportion to the smallness of the effort upon our 

 part. 



Three and a half years ago President McKinley 

 spoke in the adjoining State of Minnesota on the 

 occasion of the return of the Thirteenth Minnesota 

 Volunteers from the Philippine Islands, where they 

 had served with your own gallant sons of the North 

 Dakota regiment. After heartily thanking the re 

 turned soldiers for their valor and patriotism, and 

 their contemptuous refusal to be daunted or misled 

 by the outcry raised at home by the men of little 

 faith who wished us to abandon the islands, he 

 spoke of the islands themselves as follows : 



"That Congress will provide for them a govern 

 ment which will bring them blessings, which will 

 promote their material interests as well as advance 

 their people in the path of civilization and intelli 

 gence, I confidently believe. They will not be gov 

 erned as vassals or serfs or slaves. They will be 

 given a government of liberty, regulated by law, 

 honestly administered, without oppressing exactions, 

 taxation without tyranny, justice without bribe, edu 

 cation without distinction of social condition, free 

 dom of religious worship, and protection in 'life, 

 liberty, and the pursuit of happiness/ ' 



What he said then lay in the realm of promise. 

 Now it lies in the realm of positive performance. 



It is a good thing to look back upon what has 



