Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-12-16
NO. so
what Are We Going to DO About nr

what Are We Going to do About ItG
One of the most notable utterances which
has been called out by the new RESPONSE
bilities which the summer has brought TO
| the United States comes from the London
Spectator. In an article which is as
friendly in its tone as it is dignifed and
outspoken the Spectator asks, "What will
America do with her new empre?' and
then proceeds to answer it by saying that
we must not try to meet our great task in
any timid, half-hearted or evasive way.
The only anxiety which Englishmer feel
is lest America should make false start
"The main, the essential, principle which
the Americans must pursue in establishing
their sway over their new empire is that in
every case the government set up must be
for the benefit of the people governed.
They must give the Philippines, that is,
not the government which will appear to
conduce most to the benefit of the United
States, nor, again, the government which
some fraction of the people of the Philip
pines seem to demand. What the Ameri-
cans must consider is what scheme of gov
ernment will be most productive of happi-
ness to the races governed" and then res
olutely carry out that scheme. We must
not try TO make money out of them, their
administration must not be for the benefit
of any class of our people. The first ques-
tion is the well-being of the governed
The Spectator then continues:
'Curiously enough the ideal principle Of colo
MIA government was never better stated for pop-
uar use than by great American General
Graut in striking passage which, while describ.
ing our system of governing dependencies, laws
down the true system England governs her own
colonies, and particularly those embracing the
people Of different races from her own. better
than any other nat ton. She is iu,t to the con
q1ered, but rigid. She makes them self support
ing, put gives the benefit OF labor to the lab1rer
She does not seem to look upon the colonies as
outside possessions which she is at liberty to
work for the support and aggrandzement of the
home government
we have finally but one more word to urge
America originally taught us how TO govern our
empire. BY their righteous and vehement re.
fusal to submit t. a system under which the col
ONES were to be used for the benefit and be ex.
pected to serve the interests of the mother coun-
try. the states taught great lessen They
need not be too proud 20 reearn that lesson from
those they originally taught. All we want Amer.
lea to do is to start her empire on true lines IL
she does that all will be well, and she will be able
to make any notifications in her colo ia sys
tenn that difference or circumstances may re-
qulre. We implore her not to shrink from or to
shirk her great duty, but to accept it, and carry
IL out in the spirit in which her people entered
upon the recent war with Spain. They did not
shr that duty. They must not shirk those
which are directly derived from it."
Is there not here tonic and helpful
quality eminently more sane and SOLDERING
than wild and unreasoning declamations
against imperialism and "expansion?'
The fact which thinking people are begin
ming to recognize is that the past six
months have brought us face to face with
national responsibilities which cannot be
avoided or run away from, and the ques-
tion is how we are to meet them. Denun-
citation of the so-called "policy of impe-
rialism" doesn't fill the bill.