Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-10-07
EASTERN QUESTION.
DISCUSSED BY CONGRESSMAN pow
ERS Al VERGENNES.

"
No Permanent Occupation Desirable.
AT the meeting of the Western Yer
mont Congregational club at Vergenne:
last week, Congressman II. II. Power:
spoke in part as follows:
In answering the invitation to discuss
the Spanish war and its results, with
which you have honored me. it is peril.
nent to observe that in the devious wind
ing phases of the situation as a whole
any views now entertained can be at best
nothing more than mere impressions not
rising to the dignity of mature convic-
tions based upon fixed results.
1t Is apparent to the most casual OBJ
server that the war with Spain has evolv-
ed questions of momentious concern to
our country which demand the most
careful and patriotic consideration. Far
reaching consequences to ourselves, pre-
sent duty to neighboring peoples and a
consistent national policy for the present
and for the future are the vital factors in
the problem to be solved.
In order to determine our future policy
we must precisely measure the present
status. We must constantly have in
mind the justification that we have
offered to the world for the Intervention
which we have undertaken in the affairs
of sister nation. The war with Spain
was inevitable. Whether it might have
been averted for time by the adoption
of this or that policy, it is not now i'm
portant to discuss. Two directly OPP
poste phases of national character
confronted each other in the discussion
of the Cuban problem. Spain brought
to its consideration her ancient policy of
heartless cruelty, her traditional in
humanity of man to man and was and
is incapable of considering the rights of
her dependencies in any other light than
that reflected by the barbarism of four
centuries ago.
The people of the United States on the
other hand have by education and by in
heritance dedicated themselves to the
proposition that in natural and legal
right all men are equal before the law,
and that this is true whether applied to
those who govern or those who are
governed. As a cOrollary of this prop
osition, it follows that any dispute
between those who control and those
subject to control must be conducted
along the lines of enlightened Justice
If it be war, it must be a war conducted
according to the usages of civilized
nations.
Spain disregarded, and for that matter
defied, the rules of civilized warfare in
her attempt to subdue the revolt in Cuba;
the United States interviewed by force to
end the contest.
Our people had seen Europe standing
idly by, while Armenian atrocities were
being practiced at their very door, stay
ing its hand of relief because forsooth in
law forbid Intervention In the
affairs Of other nations. But all law, ma
tional and international, rests primarily
upon principles of Justice. All law is de-
signed to restrain wrong doing, and ma
lions have the same unquestioned right
to restrain by force, if need be, the
of sister nation that an in
dividual has under like circumstances.
If my neighbor Is deliberately numbering
his wife or child, | am justified In en-
terlng his home and forcibly intervening
to stop his acts. If a cold blooded
official has imprisoned in yonder build
ing score of helpless women and
and is deliberately starving
them to death, | may seize an axe,
knock open the door, and set them free.
If a nation does, or suffers to be done,
these things, a sister nation not only
may, but should put an end to the
work. That such cruelty was
being practiced by Spain upon the people
of Cuba is attested by innumerable
proofs. Our own Senator Proctor in
most thrilling, yet dispasslOnate and
eloquent words, has removed all doubt
as to the facts. The destruction of the
Maine and the murder of two hundred
and sixty-six American sailors was only
another proof of that inhuman policy
N the administration of Spanish affairs
hat has come down from the "Court of
Blood" established in the Netherlands
-hree hundred years ago by the Duke of
Alva, to the Court of Blood established
n Cuba three years ago by Weyler.
When these things were being done at
our very doors, our people could no long |
er restrain the prompting of their hearts.
They saw that barbarism and civilization |
must meet in deadly conflict and they |
boldly ana grandly announced a new
iogma In international law, to the |
effect that the calls of humanity are a
sufficient justification for intervention in
he affairs of the world. No other |
nation in the world has to this date
questioned the soundness of this dogma
-hus announced and it henceforth will be |
accepted as firmly established canon of
Jurisprudence.
To vindicate this principle war was de-
clared. Let 1t be noticed right here that
the president and congress declared over
and over again that the war was waged
On this ground alone, to give relief to the
Cubans by giving them stable govern
ment freed from the control of Spain and
that no conquest of territory was sought
Or would be attempted. This was the
Sin hoe signo" by which we were to
conquer. That the war waged in de-
fence of this doctrine of humanity has
been approved of heaven, the results
attest. No thoughtful man doubts the
hand of Providence in the affairs of the
world. No thoughtful man can doubt
that the victory of Dewey at Manila,
gained without loss of life or injury to
ship, that the venture of Hobson
amidst deluge of shot and shell at close
range without the slightest injury to him
Or his brave companions, the destruction |
Of Cervera's fleet with the loss of only
one man-that these results can be ac-
counted for upon no other hypothesis |