Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-07-01
GssS County 1lrrnla.
ISLAND PoND. July l.
N.rmnn,.s GRAND OLD Ian.

sec or hear many grand things
relating to the governmental the
country which are occurring.
While many flippant individuals
are industriously circulating and
'exaggerating the senility OF Sen
ator Morrill,, so much so as to
give an impression that he is
wanting in sufficient vigor to de-
liver a speech, he is quietly dis
playing in the Senate from the
rich storehouse of his experience
enough material to fillmore than
six newspaper columns. There
are some things in what he says |
significant and suggestive to OBJ
serving and thoughtful men, and
one or two features of his speech |
exhibit an innocently keen, quiet
rebuke without any apparent
maternal intent. He suggests |
that at his time of life he has no |
higher ambition in the matter OF
annexation of foreign islands |
than to be right. Now any at
tempt to elaborate that sugges-
ton would only tend to weaken
its force. We leave what may be
inferred from it to the exercise OF
our readers in accordance with
the adagc "a word to the WISE"
etc. Coming down to his work
the grand old man" suggests
the policy of increasing ournavy,
but before adopting the people
of any island he stops to carefully
examine and see whether it will
serve as military foothold adj
vantageously, or whether with
out much advantage it would
create the necessity of doubling
the navy and its expenses. We
don't know whether the old
gentleman is right or wrong.
The mere assertion that Hawaii
is necessary in military mat
tiers in a basic point of view
should not be urged wildly and
frantically in political currents
in contempt of a careful exami-
nation of the subject by men ca
pable of investigating it. We
have learned that in order to ac-
complish anything in political
rivalry and contentious the most
important thing to be done is to
satisfy the people that the cur.
rent is in such a direction, then
all run down to a certain &C
complishment; but such grave
questions as the annexation O
foreign islands or a reversal o
the theories of the government
ever since it was founded ought
neither to be made the instru
ments to stir up political enthu
siasms or factions, nor to Great,
currents on which adventurer:
may ride.
All that is assumed in favor o
annexation and in opposition tt
the senator's views may be cor
rect and logical, and the bes
thing for the country, but tn
old man has certainly got dow
to his work in the most sensibl
way when his example and hi
work suggests that the action c
the American people should b
governed by a careful examine
ton of a subject rather than b
rushing it in noisy political an
personal channels to hast
adoption and uses. It's asserte
that we need certain points fo
basic and military operation:
Does it do any harm to let con
petent men examine and dete,
mine if that is so and which {
them is essential? When it
suggested by wise and conserv;
tive men that the character an
civilization of a people are sue
as to render an intimate come,
ton with them undesirable, an
as likely to produce a conditio
in which the civilization of tn
country would be more degrade
than barbarism on the otbt
hand would be enlightened {
elevated, thus creating a balan'
against common humanity, is
not well to examine and see ho'
that is! The populace wit
hasty impressions and quick in
pulses know little about the d
tails of this subject.
1t is wonderful how little Wa
known at the commencement {