The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-07-19
Straight from the Shoulder.


his late summons to Washington
Without mystery or indirection the
Governor drove straight to the heart OF
his mission. That is the Roosevelt
way. If he is not understood, it is be.
cause some people, for reasons that are
not far to seek, prefer not to under
stand him. OF his candor the Brook.
Ign Eagle observes that "He was not
especially ceremonious when he re-
marked, with reference to the disord-
ers in the Philippines: 'The whole
trouble is due to men who for two
months prevented the ratification of
the treaty of peace He might more
truthfully have said nearly the whole
trouble, the chances heing that Aguin-
aldo would have taken the field in any
event."
Commenting on the general subject of
the Governors bold arralgnment of the
opponents of the ratification of the
treaty of peace with Spain, and the men
who have since maintained a bitter and
unpatriotic opposition to the govern
ment for it's course in respect of the
Philippine islands, the Eagle continues:
Roosevelt is the Governor of great
State. He appeals to large audience.
Either he is guilty of that which is al
most criminal or he is within the facts
when he says that those who oppose
ratification have on their souls the re-
sponsibility for most of the bloodshed.
This is not mild arraignment. 1t is
tremendous libel or il is unimpeach-
able? A contribution to the ReUieU of
ReUieaoS by John Barrett, late United
States minister to Siam, throws some
light upon the subject. He says that
thousands of little pamphlets were dis
tributed through the sections from
which Aguinaldo obtained his recruits.
They describe the Americans as the
worst people on earth, in comparison
with whom even the Spaniards were
saints. They informed the Filipinos
that as soon as we took possession of the
islands the inhabitants would become
slaves. They declared that tie United
States were wavering and that in the
face of opposition the American forces
would be withdrawn. According to
Mr.. Barrett, every discordant note that
was struck in America was telegraphed
to Hong Kong and found its way into
the camps of the native army and into
the columns of the native newspapers.
If the senior senator from Massachu-
stts,' continues the writer, could have
witnessed the expression of satisfaction
depicted on the face of every Fill
Pine soldier when he read the senti-
ments expressed by that distinguished
man in the halls of Congress, and then
have seen the look of pain on the face
of every American soldier when he re-
allied that United States Senator was
encouraging the enemy opposite to him,
l am of the humble opinion that he
would have experienced some feelings
of regret at the direct effect of his ar
gument.'
1t is not likely that the Governor
will be called upon to fortify his scath-
ing accusation. 1t is fact that the
treaty was held mp. 1t is also fact
that while its fate was still undeter-
mined Aguinaldo's drill masters were
at work. There might have been no
fighting at all had the treaty been rati.
fled Immediately, but it is certain that
quick ratification would have saved
many lives on both sides. 1t is posi-
BILE to make some allowance for the
Senators who sided with the Massachu-
sets statesman. They were perhaps
not in immediate touch with the situa-
ton of the far East. They could scarce
ly have realized that delay meant just
so many more graves for their country
men abroad. But what is to be thought
of the men who after ratification took
sides here against the flag? Would
there, under similar conditions have
been a murmur of descent in England
or in Germany or France or, for that
matter, in any country capable of do
ing what we are certain to accomplish?
The firing of the first shot would have
been sufficient elsewhere-t would
have guillotined debate. There was
but one outcome possible when hos
tilities began and there is but one out
come possible now. The humiliation
of it all is that it should be pertinent
for the governor OF the greatest OF the
commemorative to demand that the ad-
ministration be Loyalty supported.
Roosevelt has been of some service to
the State. He speaks for the country
when he says that we are pursuing the
path of national honor and keeping un-
stained the good name of the nation,
in spite of those who would betray the
country, and, as usual, he strikes
straight from the shoulder. The morti-
fcation of it is that he is not without
provocation.
1t is useless for the men and papers
who opposed the ratification of the
treaty with Spain, and who have con
tinued in seditious opposition to the
governments unavoidable course un.
der that treaty, to buck their heads
against the solid granite of this mos
terrible of indictments. The heads
alone will suffer. The indictment will
stand in history, side by side with tht
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