The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-28
POLITICAL.
Hauling Down the Flag.

The question about hauling down the
nag is not an argument. 1t is an ap-
peal 10 sentiment, and very effective
one. But in his remarks at the Savan-
nah banquet recently the President
presented arguments and principles in
support of his policy that the anti-ex-
pansionists must meet or give up the
fight We quote one passage from his
speech:
II, following the close precepts of duty,
territory falls to us and the welfare OF an
alien people require our guidance and pro-
lection, who will shrink from the RESPONSE
bility, grave though it may be9 Can we
leave these people who, by the fortunes Of
war and our own acts, are helpless and
without government to chaos after we lave
destroyed the only government they have
had2 After destroying their government
it Ia the duty of the American government
to provide for them a better one. Shall we
distrust ourselves shall we proclaim to the
world our inability to give kindly govern
nent to oppressed peoples whose future by
the victories of war is confided to us2 We
may wish IL were otherwise, but who will
question our duty now?
A thousand miles from where the
President was talking, Gen. Wesley
Merritt, an experienced officer and q
man Of sound judgment, was giving his
views in respect to our duties in the
far east in words which could not have
lent more effective support to Presi-
dent McKinley's suspicion if they had
been collaborated addendum to his
representatives of the press that Gener-
al Merritt, just arrived from Manila, by
way OF Paris and London, used this
language:
The Filipinos, like majority of kindred
peoples, are utterly incapable of governing
themselves, although they could be easily
governed by determined power. The in
Burgent element, contrary to the general i'm
preston here, is significant, and could be
easily suppressed, although If the islands
were to be thrown on their resources they
would almost mediately become overrun
with conflicting forces. l have been assur-
ed by the prominent Spanish AMI foreign
residents OF Manila that should the Amer
leans abandon the islands to a native gov
eminent they would Immediately leave
them. 1t is the only course we
could honorably pursue. There was a NOR
al obligation resting upon us to protect the
natives, and after giving them their free
dom, 1t would be unjust to turn them adriit
where they would be at the mercy of I'M
scrupulous politicians.
This is not jingoism. 1t is not ex-
ulting and mindless Imperialism. These
two expressions of opinion come from
high officers of the government. They
are spoken with full knowledge; they
are obviously the fruit of long refiec.
ton. They carry weight with the peo-
pie.
"We done expanded" said Judge
Culberson, in reply to the protests Of
Bryan and other more authoritative OPP
ponents Of expansion. 1t is fact mo-
70 be disputed that we have expanded
already. The argument for and against
the contaminated act will doubtless e
on, but it will not long hold the atten
tion of the people against the more pc
tent rival attraction or the discussion
now begun of ways and means in tn
administration of the affairs of our de
Tendencies. -New York Times.