Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1905 — THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN

Seven years ago the American people dropped a great load of anxiety. Fifty years had gone by since they had known foreign war, and a generation had passed since they had left the battle field. And the supreme issue of nations was in the balance between them and Spain. Seven years ago on May 1 George Dewey struck that issue from the balance. He steamed into Manila Bay as Horatio Nelson had sailed into Aboukir Bay 100 years before, and won a complete victory. From the technical viewpoint Manila was not an epochmaking battle, says the Chicago Inter Ocean. With the American people it replaced uncertainty by confidence. All chance of attack on our Pacific coast was removed by the first blow. And that blow proved the mettle of our men and Spain’s. It made sure the victory off Santiago. Best of all, it showed that the line of Paul .Tones and Decatur and Perry and Macdonough and Farragut and Porter and Davis was not extinct. It proved that this people still had them the great naval commander, rea*dy to meet their need.