The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-10
Democracy Still Lives, Even i'm
Vermont.


ries of the Twin Cities that an election
was held in Vermont, the other day,
which resulted in some marked Re-
publican losses, and per contra some
marked Democratic gains. Quick to
seize upon such vital questions as the
disarmament of Europe and the dis
appearance of Ii Hung from the seats
of the mighty. and prompt to recon-
mend proper measures for the settle
ment of great international matters,
they are VIGOROUSLY lacking in their
grasp Of such purely local affairs as
this Vermont election.
Yet it is no trifiing matter for such
a rock-ribbed Republican state to lose
fully 20 per cent of its majority, even
in an off year. In the legislature the
Republicans lost twenty-five members,
as compared with the results in a sim
liar off year four years ago. Vermont
does not often hold out hope and
encouragement to Democrats beyond
her borders, but this is the case
this year. If her Democrats
can accomplish so much, what
may not the Democrats OF other and
more equally balanced states do in
November?
The issues which the Vermont Demo-
Gratis pressed to the front were closely
related to the management Of the re-
cent war such as the criminal neglect
of our sick and wounded in the war
camps and Algerism. Then there was
the Vacillating course of the McKin-
ley administration in its treatment Of
its platform pledges of two years ago,
and as for Republican prOf1igacy in
general 1t always is and always will be
an issue. The question of territorial
expansion also played it's part, the neg
ative side of this question taken by the
Democracy being that Of the two fore
most Republicans Of the state United
States Senator Morrill, and former Sem
ator George T. Edmunds
THE Philippines still belong to
Spain," insisted Mr.. Edmunds in de-
fning his position upon the question
which still worries the imperialists,
and added, except the city Of Manila
ana its bay and environments, which
are III our possession in the same way
that town and port in Maine were in
possession Of the British in the war
Of 1872. If we are to have them, they
must either be ceded to us by treaty or
conquered by the further prosecution of
tropical war at almost the most dis
tant point Of the habitable globe.
'Supposing, as I do not, that the
declaration Of congress, approved by
the president, that the situation in
Cuba and not expansion of territory
w
sincere, and that now being strong
and Spain being weak we are at liberty
TO take what We choose for human
ity and material advantage, would it
not be better to take Spain itself? It
is not well governed. It's people are
infinitely more capable Of being well
governed and Of governing themselves
than the whole or any part Of the
Philippines. Most people would agree
with me that this would be wicked.
The material advantages Of commerce
supposed to flow from expansion would
be vastly greater if we are to be self
1sh crusaders, If we were to seize the
best ard so return to the old way that
he may take who has the power, and
he may keep who can
drones and perhaps in the Philippines,
the more isolated the better, the pos
session Of these islands would, 1 think.
be a detriment to the United States.
The profit and loss account would show
a balance against us which would have
to be made on our side of the account
by the places and profits such as fol-
lowed early British rule in India. The
possession of large territories will, I'M
der our form of government, lead to
their admission as states, having an
equal voice with the states of our COM
pact republic in making laws for our
selves. There is no just ground for
claiming the Philippines
The former senator's views still have
weight with many Republicans Of his
state, and it is we'll known that his
friends recorded their approval Of them
by voting the Democratic ticket.
Vermont is not the only Eastern
state in which Republicanism Is out Of
gear. In Pennsylvania there is turmoil
over the Quay machine. In New York
the Plat machine is preparing to run
to cover. In Connecticut the anti-ma-
chine Republicans are getting in be-
hind John Addison Porter, the private
secretary of the president and a candi-
date for governor. In Ohio Republicans
are sullenly glowering at Hanna, and
right here in Minnesota the Republic
an campaign starts off poorly, lags
fearfully in fact, if we may believe the
st. Paul Dispatch. All these evidences
Of diminishing interest IN Republican
candidates cannot fail to encourage
Democrats everywhere this fall This
is a Democratic year, if Democrats
generally will do their duty. In Yer
mont Democrats have shown us how.