The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-02-22
Dewey's Democracy.

In the Boston Sunday Globe, "Uncle
Dudley" discusses, with the bon-hommie
his name suggests, "Two Chances for
Dewey" "What did Dewey do?"
"Uncle Dudley" says, is an easy conun-
drum for any lad in the streets, but the
sages of the Senate and the seers of the
press, he imagines, have asked them
selves in vain, "What does Dewey
think?"
The minds of certain class of peo-
pie, and particularly the Democratic
mind in its present helmless and chart
less drifting on the sea of politics, is
inclined to q condition of doubt and
uncertainty, even in matters and things
which are clear and in their proper CO.
relation, to people whose moral vision
is unclouded and whose patriotism is
not corrupted by the exigencies of par
tisan politics. "Uncle Dudley's" query
relates to Dewey's opinion on the Phil
ippine question. He seeks to envelop
in the mist in which the Democratic
mind is involved, the views Dewey
holds as to the disposition to be made
of the Philippine islands, and the
course the government of the United
States should take in its dealing politi
cally with their inhabitants. These
speculations all pertain to Dewey's pos
sibilities as the savior of the Demo-
cratic party through his nomination to
the presidency in 1900 by the Demo-
cratic national convention.
Dewey's past political beliefs and
sympathies "Uncle Dudley" makes toll
erably clear in the subjoined paragraph:
Admiral Dewey may be a Democrat, as
Mr.. Crocker's club in New York boosted
when it enrolled him as an honorary mem
Der, or he may never have recanted the
declaration which an interviewer attributed
to him thirty years ago when he was quoted
as saying 81 am Republican" Indeed, it
is not impossible that an old clerk of his in
Washington may be accurate in reporting
him to have said few years ago that Gin
time of war Democrat was damned trail
tor and in time of peace he is a damned
fool" But these things never would worry
the politicians of either party and the rest
of us can afford to ignore them"
Is there any reason to believe that
Dewey has changed his opinions in re-
cent years? Have the Democracy, as
party, in the late war and since the
conclusion of peace, by their acts OF
their utterances shown that they are
entitled to revision of Dewey's form
er judgment? If so, when? Or
what occasion during active hostilities?
Was it when, having sought to prod
the President into premature declar
alton of war, when war came they did
what little they could do to embarrasl
the Executive in its prosecution? Was
it when, treaty of peace having been
negotiated, with such few honorable
exceptions as won them in the timeI
of the civil war the distinguishing char
acterization of War Democrats, they
were leagued together in strenuous eff
forts to prevent the ratification of th'
treaty and continue a state OF war will
it's opportunities for disaster? Or is i
in the present attitude of the party
toward the army reorganization bill-il
its purpose to defeat the passage of tn
pending measure?
When Spain ratifes the treaty tn
war will end, and the terms of enlist
ment of the volunteers will expire. /
this bill is not passed, the army will re
vert to its former size. The govern
ment will have but 20 900 soldiers t