Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-09-22

touch, and does not mean to. The effort
is studious and adroit to call popular
attention from the soul of the supreme
issue. The administration has Travelled
far since President McKinley's Boston
speech, not to speak of that earlier
denunciation of "criminal aggression"
There Is no word in Col. Hays letter |
that touches the war to the death upon |
the first and most promising Asiatic
republic, to illulnine or to Justify 1t.
The heart of the present contention Is |
missed, and with purpose and method.
We are told that ''all other countries |
bid us Godspeed in the work of bring
ing order and civilization to the Philip
pines" What If they did? 1t would
not touch the essential question of right
or wrong-but do they? Here is Oswald
Ottendorfer of the New York Stats
Zeitung, home from six months abroad,
reporting that sin Europe the United
States Is regarded as nation of land
grabbers. This country is no longer
the ideal America to Europeans that it
was" There are the people of the
South American republics viewing US
with sadness and fear. One newspaper
of the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, is
clubbing us "land-robbers, and another
declaring that "the South American
republics must unite in common defense
against the North" A leading Buenos
Ayres newspaper joins in call for such
union against the United States. Inas-
much as we have proceeded with violence
against one of the least of struggling
peoples, there is fear of US and not
"Godspeed."
The applause, the encouragement and
the appeal to national pride and vanity
come from the land-grabbing nations,
and not from those whose territory may
be invaded and taken. The distinction
is wide and vital. We have been the
leading republic of the world, the friend
of republics, their elder brother and
guardian. Under the Monroe doctrine
we sterny stand off monarchcal Europe
from interference with republicanism on
this hemisphere. The fright of self
government" it was our chart, the ark
of our covenant and faith, the right of
all peoples and the glory of ours. The men
and women and children of all nations
came to us for larger freedom and wider
opportunity, because we held these
doctrines supreme. Shall we imperil
that distinction?
We are violating those principles by
our course in the Philippines, Secretary
Hay, and waging bloody war to do it.
y GU are pleased to say that "the Philip
pines are ours" If Edmund Burke did
not know show to draw an indictment
against whole people," by what right
can you buy them without their consent?
The question will not down at anybody's
bidding. 1t is one of those unsettled
questions" that "have no mercy for the
peace of nations" and it will only be
settled when it is settled as we would
have it settled if we stood in the place of
the Filpinos. The verities are not out
lawed by treaty, whoever drew it, and
in the long run the golden rule cannot be
checkmated. Party conventions "may
resOlute till the cows come home"
cabinet officers may cry "the Philippines
are ours, what are you going to do
about it," and recall the mistakes of the
democrats in 1SGl-but the challenging
situation remains. IAN my brothers
keeper" Truly; he is yours to recognize
and to uplift to your own side and path,
and not to shoot down and suppress.
Ours it is to befriend humanity. as
when we went to war for Cuba's free
dom ours to nurse the fires of liberty
and not to quench them; to promote new
national growth, and not to cut a bloody
path Of subjugation in order that we may
impose benefits upon an unwilling peo-
rn1n al
o Liberty'-the secretary of state will
recognize the quotation
Shines that high light whereby the world is
saved;
And, though thou Stay us, we will trust in
thee.
From This campaign letter we appeal to
XOur hiOher Thought and hest mnmants-