Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-05-05
A Frank and Honest Statemento OF
Purposes and Conditions.

people. They have h'rh actluifu h"il-
estiy. and in their requirement Ne have
dealt generously with Spain. We will
hold them as our own. for the good of
the peoples who inhabit them and for
the immense advantage. commercially.
they promise us. We will give them
good government, relief from burden
some taxation, ample security in all their
civil and religious rights. We will build
highways. construct railroads. erect
schoolhouses and churches. We will
allow them to participate in government
SO far and so fast as We find them capa-
BILE. We will give employment To labor
and good wages to the labnrer; We Will
arouse in them an ambition to become
good citizens, competent to manage their
own local affairs and interests. Wewill
make it possible for them. some time in
the future, to form a stable republican
government, capable of making treaties,
enforcing their rights under them. and
observing their obligations. Then we
alone, being the judges of their compe-
tency, will surrender to them the SOY
ereigntv, reserving to ourselves the ma
val and coaling stations necessary for
our commerce and its protection.
The above language of Senator Frye
is an authoritative statement of the situ-
alton referred to though it is i'll advance
of and more bold declaration than
other expanSioniSts have ventured upon.
All the rest of that school walk timid
and hesitatingly. 1t is good thing
that this senator has stated the policy
that the country is pursuing so clearly,
because if there are weaknesses in the
DRY its plain statement without any
Interior designs will best make its falla-
cies apparent. We will hold the islands
for our and their advantage. If that
was true it would be correct PROPOSE
ton in the abstract. 1t is we'll to arouse
i'll the inhabitants of the islands Fan
ambition to become good citizens" and
competent to manage their own affairs.
Apply this to the present situation and
there is being "aroused" in them an ann
bition, but whether or not it corresponds
with the kind referred to by the Hon.
senator is question which he begs.
All the good things that the senator
promises are delightful to contemplate
and their realization would he a CONSUME
nation devoutly to be wished. Such
promises are always promised to the
vanquished in exchange for submission. |
This is no more glowing picture than
William the Conqueror paints and
which was replaced by his feudal tenures
and all the elements of absolutism which
his reign inaugurated. But we admit
that there is some consolation in the re-
Election that this conquest of England
was one of the events in her history
which with others eliminated at Runny-
mede and from which she emerged into
a glorious free constitutional govern
ment. And if an era of prosperity and
freedom shall succeed the present I'M
democratic policy we all can we'll afford
to have it said that this was part of
the manifest destiny of the nation, for
then it will have come through it into
happy conditions.
1--WE will make it possible for them"
(the island people) some time. in the fu-
ture to form stable republican govern
ment; then we
alone being the judges of their compe-
tency will surrender to them the sover
eighty" reserving to ourselves certain
benefits, etc. Here is a government
founded on the theory that no people
should be governed except by their own {
will and consent; e, that all govern !
ments derive their just powers from the !
consent OF the governed, assuming soy
ereignty over people proposing to sur {
render or return it at will Can body s
polite do that which is forbidden to '
kings! American slavery was founded
on the theory that the master was more {
capable of caring for the slave than the c
latter was of caring for himself. These a
are the very grounds on which thrones t
have always been defended with the ad, &
dition of Divine right from the SUI t
preme Ruler of the universe. Acting on
these doctrines any superior nation can /
assume to be more capable of furnishing t
a good government to any people on the c
earth, and it is to be the sole Judge of 1
its capacity to do so and assume abso- r
lutte sovereignty over such people, and v
"allow them to participate in govern S
ment" only $50 far and so fast as" it Ii
finds them capable, it alone being the S
judge of the competency of the people to V
in their own government. V
These abhorrent theories assume that a
this government was founded on the idea il
that in certain portion of its territory 81
there should be no government except s.
what is consented to by the people, and Il
in another dominion should be exercised n
against the will of the governed. How II
can government founded on constitu- h
'ional guarantees and limitations oper- O.
ate republican form of government in n
4 portion of its territory and establish n
md maintain an absolute monarchy in n
mother? The doctrine is that when the a,
United States can give any people or To- ell
'allty better government than the one OF
Which the locality is CAPABLE of finnish q,