Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-06-23
A New Issue.

ground against the so-called imperial
lists who are trying to make this war
of conquest, rather than of humanity.
The fact that. he is the unquestioned
leader of the Democracy and the fav-
orite for the presidential nomination
in 1900, adds much to the Importance
of his utterance. The further fact
that, owing to the prosperous condi-
tions that have followed the advent of a
Republican administration, free silver
ism is on the wane, making new issue
of prime Importance to the Democracy
if they hope to win future victories,
leads to the prediction that the oppo-
sition will subordinate its old issues to
a new one, to be known as anti-im-
lperialism
The question arises out of the pres
ent war, although the annexation OF
Hawaii enters, which was matter of
consideration before hostilities with
Spain were considered probable. The
two parties are not fully aligned on the
new issue-indeed it is so new that
many people have given it little con-
sideration But its great Importance
causes a general belief that before 1t is
settled one way or the other, the peo-
pie will have chance to pass upon it
at the ballot box. Bryan has been
shrewd enough to land on what he
deems the stronger side of the question
and his party will mostly follow him,
while the Republicans are, we believe,
inclined by belief as well as circum-
stances to take the opposite view.
though a general roundup on this is
sue alone would find many Republi-
cans agreeing with Bryan and many
Democrats opposed to him.
The annexation of Hawaii is essen
TALLY Republican measure. Harrison
started the idea and had nearly effected
1t when Cleveland came in and
promptly sat upon it. When he was
succeeded by Mckinley, the matter
was again taken up and the president
is said to be insistent upon it. A res
olution of annexation has already
passed the House and seems likely to
90 through the Senate. To show that
the parties are not agreed among
themselyes,it is only necessary to state
that Speaker Reed is one of the most
bitter anti-annexationists. while SEN
ator Morgan and other leading Demo
Gratis favor it. But as a rule it is Re-
publican party policy and opposed by
the Democrats.
1t was not the annexation of Hawaii,
however, that provoked Bryan's utter
ance, but the additions to our territory
that it is proposed to make when the
war with Spain is over. Our people |
look on Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philip
pines and all intervening Spanish pos
sessions as certain to fall into our
hands when peace comes. The ques-
ton is, what shall we do with them |
We are bound by honor to let Cuba
govern herself, but It Is tolerably GER
tain that we shall maintain protecto-
rate of some kind over her and rela-
tons will be effected that will make
the island practically our own. The
imperialists favor this and also keep
ing all the Spanish possessions we can
secure. ostensibly as a war indemnity.
Bryan is outspoken in condemnation
of this stand, holding that we should
not depart from our time-honored pol
icy of limiting ourselves to the Amer
lean continent. He foresees a long
career of trouble, misfortune and ex-
pense attending such course and
SAYS we are not honest il we are at
war with Spain for such purposes. We
have attended strictly to our own affairs
in the past and let the rest of the
world take care of itself. While other
nations have been land-grabbIng, we
have been busy at home. Are we
ready to join in the wholesale
scramble for distant colonies? Where
is the gain coming from to compensate
us for the risks we shall run and the
trouble we shall incur? These and
other strong points are made by Bry-
an, worthy of much consideration. OF /,
course there is strong argument on the
other side and the new issue should be
studied, for it is likely to
come up early for definite settlement. {
Two Men Mvstenously Disappeared.
Two men have disappeared from
Burlington mysteriously within few