Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-01-02
THE FOREMOST POWER.


room of the Ellicott Club, where the
feast was spread, was handsomely
decorated, the feature being the in
tertwining Of the stars and stripes
and the union jack.
Mr. Depew took for his subject
'E1S98.'' He said in part:
eve face at this Christmastide
questions as vital to the future Of this
country as any which in the past have
been met and successfully answered.
The federation of Washington in 1898
has developed into the United States
of 1888, with that Inherent power
which is always attached to national
sovereignty, of acquiring territory by
conquest or cession. I do not think
any body Of constitutional lawyers
will doubt that among the reserved
powers Of sovereignty, which belong
to US as nation, is the right to adj
minister the affairs of territories ac-
quired by conquest Or by cession, I'M
der such form Of government as Con-
gress and the executive may pre-
scribe.
We make war against a foreign
power, and, for the first time in the
history Of the world, solely for hu-
mainly. To maintain order in Cuba
until her people shall be able to main
tain a stable government Of liberty
and law is humanity. To incorporate
T0o~+o Pho -, o7r 5o,7,oir ,.oIiouo itc
citizens from oppression and give
them good government is humanity.
To permit the bloody hand of Spain
to again grasp the throat of 10,000,000
Filipinos, or to pass them over to the
tender mercies of European govern
ments would be inhuman and cow
ardly; it would be refusing the mis-
sion which Providence has distinctly
forced upon US.
Gen. Wood, governing the province
of Santiago, gives an object lesson in
American liberty, law and OppOrtu-
nifty. The most unsettled province in
Cuba resumes all the arts of peace,
and Invites enterprise, immigration
derstand that they are to be protected
in their persons and property, and
that as fast as they demonstrate ca
pacity for self government they will
be advanced to positions in the civil
and military service.
We have the opinion of Dewey and
of Gen. Merritt that when the inh alb
itants of the Philippine islands appre-
ciate what American protection and
law mean, they will become one of
the most obedient, law abiding and
productive populations in the world.
The vast trade of Cuba, which here
tofore went to Spain and to Europe,
will now come to us, and be enor-
mously increased by Americans, who
will flock there with capital and en-
ergy.
The $34, 1000, 900 of exports from Por-
to Rico, of which all but $4,000, 900
have gone to Spain, will now come to
us, enhanced many fold by American
enterprises and immigration. The
Philippines to the United States, like
Java to Holland, under the inspiring
influences of American opportunity,
of American schools and American
hope, will be an immense market and
a large source of revenue over and
above the cost of administration for
the United States. Our government,
firmly planted, will not only enter the
"open door'' of the Orient, for the
products of our fields and our facto-
ries, but when the great boot Of Uncle
Sam is put in the crack of the door
which continental nations would close,
there will be no musket damned upon
that boot to compel its Withdrawal.
The year 1898 has given to the
American people the exaltation of
patriotic fury and fervor to relieve
the sufferings of an oppressed and
people. The marvellous
victories of our navy and army, con-
densing into 100 days the struggle of
100 years for the overthrow of the
colonial tyranny of Spain, have spir-
itualized us with that fire of brain
and blood which came to the Greeks
after Marathon; to the English after
to Americans after the
battle of Saratoga.
In 1898 we have become citizens of
the world. We have become the fore
most power. The boy at school has
been wont for half a century to recite
with bated breath Daniel Webster's
tribute to the worldwide
power of Britain, "whose morning
drum beat, following the sun, and
keeping company with the hours,
circles the earth with one continuous