The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-03-15
@a:lsman 4 journal
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor
American Isolation.

pOllCy In reSpeCI vi uu lmpoIenho ph"eo
of its foreign affairs, should read the
views of Hon. Richard Olney on our
national duties and responsibilities, as
expressed in his article on "American
Isolation" in the Atlantic Monthly for
May, 1898. 1t will be borne in mind
that Mr.. Olney is Democrat of the
s'straitest school" and twas by far the
most powerful intellectual force in the
last Cleveland administration" Ii the
magazine and the entire article are not
accessible the subjoined extracts will
be found "good for edi6cation:"
A nation is as much member of
society as an individual. Its member
ship, as in the case of an individual,
involves duties which call for some
thing more than mere abstention from
violations of positive law. The indi-
vidual who should deliberately under
take to ignore society and social obli-
cations, to mix with his kind only under
compulsion, TO abstain from all effort
to make men wiser or happier, to resist
all appeals to charity, to get the most
possible and enjoy the most possible
consistent with the least possible in
tercourse with his fellows, would be
universally condemned as shaping his
life by low and unworthy standard.
Yet, what is true of the individual in
his relations to his fellow men is
equally true of every nation in its re-
lations to other nations.
In this matter we have fallen into
- nh; hn ovnnaohla in
their origin, are without present justi-
fication. Does foreign question or
controversy present itself appealingly
however forcibly to our sympathies or
sense of right-what happens the mo-
ment it is suggested that the United
States should seriously participate in
its settlement? A SILVER runs through
all the ranks of capital lest the unin-
terrupted course of money making be
interfered with; the cry of "Jingo"
comes up from various quarters; advo-
Gates of peace at any price make them
selves heard from innumerable pulpits
and rostrums; while practical politi-
clans invoke the doctrine of the Fare
we'll Address as an absolute bar to all
positive action. The upshot is more or
less explosions of sympathy or antip.
athy at more or less public meetings,
and, if the case is very strong one, q
more or less tardy tender by the gov
eminent of its "moral support"
Is that creditable part for a great
nation to play in the affairs of the
world? The pioneer in the wilderness,
with roof to build over his head and
patch of ground to cultivate and wife
and children to provide for and secure
against savage beasts and yet more
savage men, finds in the great law of
self-preservation ample excuse for not
expanding either his feelings or his
energies upon the joys or the sorrows OF
his neighbors. But surely he is no pat
tern for the modern millionaire, who
can sell nine-te nths OF all he has and
give to the poor, and yet not miss q
single comfort OF luxury of life. This
country was ono the pioneer and is now
the millionaire. 1t behooves it to recog-
nize the changed conditions and to real
ize its great place among the powers OF
of the earth. 1t behooves it to accept the
commanding position belonging to it,
with all it's advantages on the one hand
and all its burdens on the OTTER. 1t il
not enough for it to vaunt its greatness
and superiority and to call upon the
rest of the world to admire and be duly
impressed. Posing before less favored
peoples as an exemplar of the superior
ity of American institutions may bt
justified and may have its uses. Blu
posing alone is like answering the ap
peal of mendicant by bidding him ad
mire your own sickness, your own fin,
clothes and handsome house and you
Obi In
condition. He possibly should do tina
and be grateful for the spectacle, blu
what he really asks and needs is help
ing hand.
The mission OF this country, it ha
one, as 1 verify believe it has, is no
mer.ly to pose, but to act-and, Will,
always governing itself by the rules O.
prudence and common sense, and MAJ
ing its own special interests the frs
and paramount objects of it's care, t,
forego no fitting opportunity to furthe
the progress of civilization PRACTICAL,
as well as theoretically, by timely deed
as well as by eloquent words. Their,
is such thing for nation as "splen
did isolation"-as when for a worth,
cause, for its own independence, o.
dignity, or vital interests, il unshrink
ingly opposes itself to hostile world
But isolation that is nothing but
Sinking of the responsibilities of higl
and great power is simply ignominious
Mr.. Olney's words are commende
to the consideration of the many Demo
cratic readers of this paper, and Reput
lcans will find In them the elucidatio
of cardinal principles in their ow
faith. Supplemental to this Atlanti
Monthly article, Mr.. Olney's address Q
Harvard College year ago will
found to be illuminative reading. O
this address the New York Sun says
"If Mr.. Olney was now the Republ
can secretary of State in the McKinle
cabinet, he could not express NOR
emphatically the principles and consiC
erations underlying its most advance
expansion policy"
Mr.. Olney cleared up the whole ma