The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-18

about ninety per cent. Nine out OF ten
habitual cigarette smokers are unfit for
military service. On the other hand,
among the young men who do not
smoke cigarettes, the reflections are
fewer than in the days Of the civil war.
Doubtless the immoderate use of the
cigarette, especially by boys, has del
eterious influence upon the health, but
probably it is not guilty for all of the
weak hearts. Perhaps excessive BIZ
cycling is the cause of some of them.
In the capture of the Philippines,
when the conquest of the Spanish au-
thority there shall be completed, it is
possible that the United States may
have caught Tartar. What to do with
him is already agitating the minds of
newspaper statesmen in particular. 1t
is noticeable that the people who are
most disturbed by the question as to
the final disposal of the islands are
those who have been irreconcilably OPP
posed to the annexation Of Hawaii or
Cuba, or any other islands of the sea.
If the United States finally reduces and
holds the islands their REIMBURSEMENT
to any other power will not be for any
of the reasons the Mugwump editors
are publishing. The United States,
they say docs not want any colonies, our
form of government does not admit of
holding such possessions and is not
practiced in colonial administration, as
is Great Britain. Nevertheless, this
government has had over a century's
experience in territorial government,
and has managed to rear multitude of
locally Independent and highly pros
porous republics between the westerly
line of the original thirteen and the
Pacific. 1t has had generations ex-
perience in managing Alaska, and it is
reasonable to suppose that, on pinch,
with its aptitude for doing difficult
things, it could take in hand and sue
cessfully administer the affairs of the
Philippines, to the benefit, morally and
materially, of those interesting regions.
1t is morally certain that this govern
ment will in this way solve the prob
blem of the final disposition of the
islands, if they ultimately come into
its possession as the spoils of war.
THERE is no possibility that the
amended war revenue bill reported to
the Senate from it's finance committee
can ever become law. There is doubt
whether it could even pass the Senate
in its present condition. In addition to
striking out the clause authorizing the
issue of bonds-the only certain way in
which the government can at short no.
tice raise all the money that may be
needed to fight the war to victorious
end-the amended bill provides for an
additional issue Of greenbacks amount
ing to $150, 900, 900, proposition that
the House overwhelmingly voted down
before passing the bill, and the coming
of the so.called seignorage of the silver
bullion owned by the government, S42,-
100000 in silver certificates to be is-
sued in advance of the coinage. Rep
resentative Steele Of Indiana, promi-
nent member of the House ways and
means committee, said, after reading
the bill reported to the Senate: "The
majority of the Senate finance commit
tee seems to think that this government
can carry on an expensive foreign war
on wind" Chairman Dingley said of
the amended bill: "The Bryan Democ-
racy appears to have abandoned free
silver and gone back to fiat money, pure
and simple. am now wondering what
the Republicans, who left their party
and enlisted under the Bryan banner
in order to secure the free and unlim-
tied coinage OF silver, will say to that
proposition. What's the use of going
to all the trouble and expense of coin
ing afty-cent silver dollars when you
can print paper dollars in unlimited
quantities and amounts at slight trouble
and expense?" The bond clause is
certain to be restored to the bill by
vote OF the Senate.
QUOTING from the WATCHMAN's
reference to the cost and condition of
the National Guard of Vermont, as
developed by the call to enter the mill
tary service of the nation, the Brattle-
boro Reformer speaks of "the WATCH