Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-12-14
UN-AMERIc.N pEssrMIsM.

UN-AMERIC3N PESSIMISM.
The one phase of human nature, more
than any other, weary1ng to the flesh
and to the spirit and, in greater de
gree than any other, responsible for the
repression and suppression of altruism
and the higher and better human &C
tivities, is the pessimist. sit is hope
less case" is the burden of his funeral
dirge. always and increasingly.
The un-American pessimist is abroad
10 our own fair land to-day. The ink is
scarcely dry on the treaty of peece with
Spain before he filings at the president,
destroyer of Americas peace" I'm
perialismg'' "Red ruin and the breakin q
up of the Law" Anathemal Anathemal
File on such weak-kneed. un-American,
unpatri0tic coward CO. The hatulent ultra
pessimism of the "auti- expansionist,"
of today, needs only to be pricked by the
pin point of common sense and loyal
Americanism to collapse into the orig inal
atomic origin of weakly and negative
existence.
''Had Dewey sailed away when, at
Manila Bay, the Spanish fact was sunk,
all would have been well, he cries. But
Dewey did not. For veal or woe, as it's
custodian and our brothers keeper, the
responsibility is ours and we will not shirk
it. The problem of the government of
colonies and DEEPER denotes, solved by
England one hundred years ago, is at
our Threshold. There is no manly
and honest way of evading it.
All the world to the contrary (and
in no spirit of bcavado or buster do we
say it) the American people entered
into the war with Spain for the sake of
humanity, wearied an ] ashamed beyond
endurance, of the cruelty and tyranny
at our very doors or accession OF terri.
tory or money indemnity we, then
neither thought nor even dreamed. In
annexing the Philippines, President Nc
kinley acted upon his belief in what is
not only truth but the gospel of the
American nation at this hour that
we ought not and will not give back one
man or one acre to Spanish tyranny, to
other nations, or to native anarchy. Does
the anti expansionist, in truth, believe
that a government by the Dictator
Aguir ado would be by the consent of
the governed?" On the other hand.
does he not know that government there
fore by the United States at it's worst
and lowest as he portrays it, would be
one thousand times better than now?
AS England governs India, to it's I'M
told benefit, without granting citizen
ship, 80 can we the, Philippines and Porto
Rico. Military government must last
long enough to afford to the president
and our nation time to study and to
know what to do next. The bug-bear
of the anti expansionist "Militarism''
and 'Imperialism" we must risk. As we
have to others, we will attend to that
monster when it shows it's head. Amer
lean manhood has risen su oerior to every
emergency in the past-it will in the
future.
Admit, as one must, the truth of the
establishment urged by the anti-ex
pansionist that our political lifeis honey
combed With corruption and selfseeking g,
yet we claim and assert that, as at San
tiago, eide by side the millionaire and
the cowboy lived and fought in the
unity and on the level of common
patriotism, so America will, now respond
to the call to faithful and self sacrificing
civil government.
With the eyes of the world upon us
we shall not fail to govern the Philip
Pine, justly and righteously; and as nc
wrong, so no right is done which rings
not out its change upon the counter Of
the world, self government in our owr
favored land will be vivified and puri
fed as a result of unselfsh government
of the people of the Philippines which
pessimist and anti-expansionist to the
contrary notwithstanding - Americs
will give to those whom the fortunes O
war have placed in our keeping. Have
faith in your country and in yourselves
Stop croaking.
Ei I q Ian frcrr, tho din Gor,