The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-13
A Memorable Event.

UT MY years VIC duneAdtlou VI tue
Hawaiian group has been inevitable.
We shall lose nothing by looking the
accomplished fact squarely in the face.
Our march in the direction of the
Pacific coast commenced almost as
soon as we began to treat with the
noble red man. He has been in retreat
ever since. The Alleghanies did not
stop us; neither did the Rockies. Not
gently, perhaps, but with unques-
tonable firmness we have pushed back
ward our copper colored brother, mini
MIXING the terrors of the tomahawk
and diminishing in due proportion the
annual crop of scalps. This country
had great deal to attend to in this
country. 1t may almost be said TO have
been completely wrapped up in its own
affairs. AT comparatively early stage
of the Nations existence it resolved
upon America for Americans as one of
the features OF the settled and invaria-
BILE policy. This was assumed TO carry
with it the corollary that Europe was
for the Europeans and the Orient for
the Orientals. With this assumption
we judiciously refrained from quarrel
ing-we had too many other things to
do. In course of time, however, we
reached the Pacific coast, incidentally
taking control of the mouth Of the Mis-
sissippi and generously supplementing
the handful of stars by which our flag
was adorned. In short, we have ex-
panded in every direction in which
serious obstacles were not interposed,
save in the Pacific, the Caribbean and
and the Gulf of Mexico. While this
has been going on ingenuity, industry,
energy and enterprise have added us to
the list of the formidable factors of the
commercial world.
1t is now announced that Hawaiian
annexation or any attempt on the part
of the United States to bold the Philip
pine archipelago will operate ipse facto
as remuneration of the M )nroe doc
trine. That will do for doctrinaries
and academicians. That will do for
literal logicans and severe construction
lists. 1t will serve the purposes of
Morrill, and Edmunds and other anti
quarians to whom nothing is as fragrant
as the mustiness of a museum. 1t will
not appeal to the men of brain and
Drawn who, taking account of stock at
the end of the year, find that they have
surplus to dispose Of. They will stand
by the doctrine of America for Ameri-
cans, but they will not stand by any
thing even remotely suggesting that
American products shall be for Ameri
cans only. And this tells the whole
story, envelop our participation in the
fight for Cuban liberty with as many
ideals as we may. Each year, as we
60 on taking account of stock, we shall
find the surplus larger. Each year the
necessity for fair play for Americans
in the markets of the world will be-
come more imperative. Commerce
follows the flag. Back of the merchant.
man steams the battleship. 1t bonn
bards discriminating tariffs when it is
at target practice; it keeps ports open
when on its trial trip. For fair play
we may not have to fight, but that will
be because we,have blood and steel to
part with and because it is not safe to
fling challenge in our faces.
The Orient is not for Orientals ex.
clusively. 1t is for Russians and Ger
mans and Frenchmen and Hollanders
and Englishmen. For what they get of
it they intrigue and occasionally fight.
The doctrinaries are more than willing
that a share of the commercial spoils
shall fall to our lot and that we shall
reap part of the harvest for which
others have furrowed, but they discoun-
tenance the idea that we shall take any
hand in the performances preliminary
but essential. A distinguished Brook
Ign divine recently called attention to
the ACCESSIBILITY of reaching good
understanding with Great Britain. He
was not credited with having made an
exceedingly cool proposition, but he
virtually suggested that we should per-
NIT England not only to open foreign
ports, but keep them open at the muzzle
of English guns, that we make no ALI
ance, that we propitiate our Transat-
atlantic cousins, but get not too close to
them; in brief, that we share the
profits and contribute nothing to the
original Investment. That was not
even academical. That was not bust
ness like. Would that be fair thing
for nation in search of fair play TO
do? Not even from pulpit can such a
proposition beg or borrow or steal a
certificate OF manliness or of honorable
character. England has fought her
way into the East and she is blocking
/ tudl why Wy hO
She has invested all others with the
rights she herself exercises. She ex-
acts no tribute at Hong Kong; she
fortifies herself behind no toll gates.
We are beginning to match her in re-
sources and strength and we are be-
beginning to reach out in Anglo-Saxon
fashion.
Let those stop us who can. We
have not lost a ship In the war with
Spain-the Merrimac was sunk, but
not lost. We shall emerge from the
conflict now in progress with bigger
navy than was on our register when
war was declared. We are already
richer in territory. The Hawaiian
Islands and their dependencies are
part of the United States and are sub
iect to the dominion thereof and their
rights all and singular are ours. AL
the OWhyee treaties with other nations
have ceased and determined, the Mon,
golian must keep out of Honolulu and
our flag fl bats far away from San Fran
cisco in an almost direct line wi h the
Philippines. That is the beginning OF
long Journey. There will be retro