St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-12-13

France setting up her throne in Siam and
Madagascar, Africa falling to peices in
the clutch of European powers. Japan
leaping to new life of industry and
thought. both shores of the Pacific be-
| ginning to swarm with men Of Saxon
blood-these are facts in which we begin
to see the fuillment of Stewards far
sighted prophecy when he said long ago
in the United States Senate that as time
went by the activities and interests of
Europe would sink in Importance, "while
the Pacific Ocean, it's islands, shores and
| the vast region beyond will become the
chief theatre of events in the worlds
great hereafter"
More than one-half the present popula-
ton of the globe is contained in countries
fronting upon the Indian and Pacific
Oceans. For the year ending June 80
1896, these people bought two and one
fourth billions of the rest of the world
$3.50 millions. And yet our sharein that
vast trade was less than 81 millions.
| Still our commerce with China has been
growing at an enormous rate. and it is
plain to every student of affairs that
| John Barrett spoke the truth when he
said that if our commercial rights in the
Chinese Empire can be preserved the cot
ton factories OF the east and south and
the wheat fields of the west will ret feed
and clothe millions upon millions of her
people. Have we no interest to preserve
the integrity of China? Even now we
hold in our hand one. seventh of her for
eign trade. Shall we allow the door to
be shut? Shall we sit idly by while
Europe cuts up our customers into
spheres Of influence and forces hostile
tariffs against our good?
Faithless indeed the man must be
whose study of the great ages and ex-
ampes of our race permit him to doubt
in the dawn of a day like this, whether
the guiding is from above | believe III
the capacity of the American people to
solve every question their duty brings
before them. For every great hour the
great man is born. Out of the loins of
the nation shall spring every son OF
strength she needs. To 1776 came
Washington, to 1861 came Lincoln, and
IN the crisis of the Spanish warm the
perplexing days that have succeeded-we
have not missed strong and steady
hand upon the helm.
The issues of the next campaign will be
soon made up-we might almost say
they are even now made up. II the dem
ocratic party sets itself again, as it has
so often in the past against the patriotic
instincts of the people, making itself once
more an obstacle in the path Of progress
and crying out against expansion, the
republican party, true to its principles
and its promise, has but to ally itself
with the faith and intuition of the people
and ride forth to another generation Of
power in the confidence OF the country
as it did forty years ago upon the issues
OF the civil war. Young men, it is inspi.
ration to live in time like this. 1t is
worth the cost of life to have a part
however humble in the history the com
ing years will make.
am a republican not because l wor.
ship any party name or hold any party
creed to be infallible, not merely because
Of it's great services to the nation and to
the cause Of human freedom in the past
but because, recognizing in he two great
parties that divide the suffrages OF the
nation to-day, the instrumentalities
through which political results must BIZ
accomplished, see in the democratic
party that dead weight of obstruction
criticism and inertia to be found in every
land, and in the republican party thai
hospitality toward progressive ideas ant
that force and genius for constructive
craftsmanship which believe will give
us wider horizons as years go on, in
crease the grandeur and glory of OUT
country, and bring about those beneh
cent reforms for which the patient lovers
of mankind still work and wait