The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-28
ARTHUR ROPES. General Bditor.

The Springfield Republican writes an
elaborate eulogy of the anti-imperial-
ist. In the contemporaries judgment
this seditious being is only little low
er than the angels. He is the sine qua
non of wisdom, courage, patriotism,
and every virtue. So, in their own es-
timation, were the Copperheads of a
generation ago, the Hartford conven-
tionists of 1914, the Tories of 1776.
Posterity does not sustain the estimate
these worthless had of themselves, or
the single-mindedness of their inten-
lions or the patriotism of their words
and deeds. Quite the contrary. The
Republicans judgment of itself and it's
confederates history is likely to re-
verse. The contemporary has the vir-
tue of persistency-a doubtful virtue in
bad cause. The anti-imperialist, it
says, "is serving the country, accord
ing to his light" Heis going to keep
right on serving his country in the
same blind way that lands the blind
leader and his victim in the ditch.
"There is but one effective method of
silencing him." observes the Republi-
can, heroically, "and that you will find
in Russia. 1t is gag law" The Re
publican is in error. There is another
way, and that it will find on the island
of Luzon. 1t is the way of Aguinaldo,
the Republicans yellow Washington,
Winkelried, Lafayette, and 80 on,
down the roll of the worlds illustrious
patriots and heroes. If man after its
pattern of every civic virtue were rul-
ing in Washington where would be the
Republican and the rest of the gang of
conspirators who have fostered the
Filipino rebellion and to whom, Gen
eral Otis says, the insurgent leaders
are looking for final success7
1t was the New York Sun that was
crying out increasingly against the beef
inquiry as sullying the glory of the
achievements of the American army
and navy in the war with Spain. But
the Sun has been engaged, for some
reason that does not appear in any of
the facts or circumstances of the case,
in calumnious warfare upon the chief
naval commander in the battle of San
tiago de Cuba, who was guilty of the
"reprehensible conduct" of contribut-
ing powerfully to the great victory that
completed the extinction of Spain's
sea power, and was the beginning of
the end of the war. The legacy of
glory from the war with Spain was
never so dimmed by inquiry into the
maladministration in high official sta
ton that brought death and distress to
thousands of brave men as by this I'M
reasonable assault upon the good name
of Admiral Schley. Schley coward?
Afraid to come to close quarters with
the Spaniard or any other foe? Any
thing in this gallant officers record
that looks like cowardce? Was it in
that fierce hand to hand encounter,
when, junior officer, he met the Co.
rean cutthroats and put them to flight?
Had he reputation for lack of courage,
for poverty of expedients or resources
when he was chosen to command the
relief expedition to the Arctic sea, to
find and bring back Greeley and his
ce.beleagured comrades? The Suns
crusade against Schley, not the inquiry
into the sort of food provided for the
soldiers during the war, is nasty and
sickening-and the great body of the
American people so esteem it.
Gen. Leonard Wood, military gov
ernor of Santiago, has furnished ad-
ditional proof that he is an extraordin-
airy man in declining an offer of $780,
900 to become president of the big syn
dictate which has bought nine of Wash
ington's street railways and its two
electric light companies, and is prepar-
ing to put them all under single man.
agement. The salary offered was more
than five times the amount he receives
as brigadier general of volunteers.
Gen. Wood will return to Cuba at once,
because he believes it is his duty to do
30. He speaks of this in the most mat
ter of fact way. He says he intends to
remain in the military service of the
government 30 long as the service
needs him. 81 feel in honor bound"
he says, "to return to Santiago, now
that yellow fever is reported to have
broken out there" General Wood has
doubts about the sickness at Santiago