The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-03
Peace Negotiations.

ton of the French ambassador, SPANS
diplomatic representative in this coun-
try.
1t is said that a scheme of peace has
been formulated and submitted TO M.
Cambon, approved by him and trans
mitted to Madrid for the consideration
of the Spanish ministry. 1t is surmised
that the conditions Spain will have to
accept or refuse are the absolute with
drawal of her authority from Cuba, the
cession of Porto Rico to the United
States, leaving the question as to what
shall be done with the Philippines and
other islands of the Pacific hitherto
colonies of Spain to be settled later.
There are limitations that, respecting
the Philippines, President Mckinley
has suggested to Spain that a coaling
station in those islands, as we'll as in
the other groups to the east, will satisfy
the demands of the United States. 1t
is, however, not credible that the
President has gone to this extent in
settling definitely what is the one de-
batable question in determining the
conditions of peace.
Excepting always certain and we'll
defined element, small in numbers and
even more insignificant in influence,
there is in the United States but one
opinion in respect of the terms this
government must offer Spain as the
price of peace, so far as the future
status or ownership of Cuba and Porto
Rico affect the matter of ending the
war. Cuba must be free and indie
pendent, under Americas guaranty of
a stable government for her people.
Porto Rico must become the territory
of the United States. There will be no
abatement of these demands.
AS to the disposition of the Philip
pines and the other Spanish possess
sions in the Pacific there is not the
same unanimity of opinion as in the
case of the islands of the West Indies.
There in the far East were peoples
whose acquaintance with Spanish CO.
lonial management was coexistent with
that of the inhabitants of the islands
and the continents of the western
hemisphere. Spanish methods in the
East have not been essentially different
from Spanish practices in the West.
The same lamentable conditions exist
in the Philippines as in Cuba. In both
there have been oppression, extortion,
corruption and unbearable cruelty. In
both there have been long and bloody
uprisings against the power of Spain,
and in both all the horrors of medi-
eval times have almost continuously
schocked and outraged Christendom.
Cuba and the Philippines are sisters in
misery.
When the United States took up
arms to relieve one of the sisters, she
sent her warships in Asiatic waters to
drive the Spaniard from the throat of
the other. Admiral Dewey's great VIC
tory was the first blow for the redemp-
ton of the Philippines. To complete
his work some 25, 900 troops have been
sent to assist him, and his squadron
will be strengthened by the addition Of
powerful ships now nearing Manila
Did Admiral Dewey imperil the fate of
his seamen and his ships in purely
Quixotic enterprise? Has the United
States sent seven military expeditions
some seven thousand miles across the
Pacific merely to secure coaling sta
ton there? In a war for humanity shall
one of the redeemed islands be made
free and independent, and the others
remanded to the tender mercies of the
oppressor9 Then the naval battle in
Manila bay was an ignoble and ridicu-
lous display of power and valor, and
the despatch of Gen. Merritt and his
army without reason or justification /;
this war for humanity is farce, and
the professions of the United States
government, in making war, are a
hollow mockery. Its course is without
reason or consistency.
The only end that shall adequate
ly justify the means the United
States has been employing to take pos
session of the Philippines is the reten-
ton Of the islands in its possession,
under military or other manner of con-
troll, till it shall mature some plan for
their future and orderly existence.
The United States government has
taken these islands under it's protection
and it will lhenceforth be responsible
for their welfare. Its work is that OF
the humanitarian, of the missionary
and it cannot shirk its new task if it
would. Whatever else the United
States may do with these islands it
cannot, without mourning the condem-
nation of all Christendom and the rid