The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-25
Instruction to Senators.


settlement the results of the war with
Spain plainly dictate have professed to
derive great satisfaction from the hos
tility of Senator Hale of Maine to the
policy Of the administration, particular
ly in the matter of the Philippines, and
to find in Mr.. Hsle's attitude evidence
that the people of the country in gen.
eral, and of Maine in particular, are
opposed to territorial expansion in the
form now before the country. In
catching at this straw, it has been con-
venient to leave out of sight the fact of
Senator Frye's trenchant support of
'imperialism."
At first the reelection of Mr.. Hale
by the Maine Legislature was joyously
hailed as vindication of that Senator's
stand in Congress, in the earlier stage
of the contentious with Spain as well as
in the settlement of the terms of peace,
and the 'aunties" were accordingly
happy. But the developments of the
voting in the Maine Legislature, and
the emphatic supplementary action of
that body in respect of the administra-
toms policy, have ruthlessly dispelled
the illusion which was bringing cheer
to the spirits of the little band of mall
contents, and there is now an added
gloom in their ranks.
Senator Hale was nominated at eau
Gus which eulogized Senator Frye, the
conspicuous exponent of the policy of
expansion. On the day of the SEN
atorial election, fifty of the 1926 Repub-
licans in the Legislature were absent,
and, to add emphasis to their disap-
prova of Senator Hale's course in all
the affairs with Spain, forty of these
loyal Republicans left the representa-
tives' hall in body before the voting
began. Three of those who remained
explained that they voted for Mr.. Hale
under protest. All this was, indeed,
strongly indicative of the real senti-
ment of the representatives of the Re-
publicans of the Pine Tree State in the
matter of outstanding the results of the
war by ratifying the treaty. But, to
place the attitude of the State of Maine
beyond doubt or cavil, the House of
Representatives has adopted, unani-
mously, by a rising vote and amid much
enthusiasm, resolution endorsing the
policy of President Mckinley in his
demands upon Spain, and inviting the
President to come to Augusta as the
guest of the State.
This seems to be the worst set back,
the most significant rebuke, the oppo-
sition to the treaty of Paris has receiv-
ed. 1t amounts to peremptory sum-
mons to Senator Hale to give over his
opposition to the President and vote
for the ratification of the treaty.
The senatorial representation of
Maine and Vermont has been similarly
divided on the subject of annexation
of territory acquired from Spain. The
action of the two States, through their
representatives in the Legislature on the
subject of the Presidents policy, has
been identical. Senator Morrill,, it
was we'll understood, was opposed to
the annexation of Porto Rico and the
Philippines, as he had been to the &C.
QUESTION of Alaska, and quite recently,
Hawaii. 1t was not generally believed,
however, that he would carry his oppo-
sition, in the case of Porto Rico and
the Philippines, to the extent of voting
to defeat the treaty of peace. Without
a dissenting vote the Legislature of the
State whose commission he bore had
endorsed the policy of the administra-
ion in settling with Spain. AS a loyal
son of Vermont, it is believed that he
would have respected and obeyed this
expression of the will of his State. 1t
is further believed that Senator Ross,
the venerable statesman's successor,
untrammeled by previous record of
opposition to territorial expansion,
insular or continental, will be able,
both in accordance with his personal
judgment and in compliance with the
clearly expressed will of the legal rep
resentatives of the people of Vermont,
give the treaty of Paris his affirmative
vote.