Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-10-06
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
ACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
"sED,TIoUs AoITAToRS."

"sED,TIoUS AoiTAToRs."
Sensible people, whatever may be their
rvate opinions as to the question at is
ue, are becoming both weary and indig-
liant over the vulgar and brutal denuncia-
ion heaped by orators and organs upon
very one who expresses a doubt as to
he wisdom of the administrations
Philippine policy. These men, whether
hey be mere red mounted demagOgs, too
gnorant to understand a policy or too
kicious to approve it unless 1t furnished
campaign capital for them, or whether
hey be serious and thoughtful citizens
bf high standing and patriotic devotion
hese men, we say, are freely proclaimed
hs traitors and seditious agitators merely
because they choose to exercise the in
hlienable privilege of independent
thought and speech. The spectacle is
disgraceful and it will react upon the
cause in the behalf of which 1t has been
presented. This is free country yet,
we hope, and honest citizens still retain
the right to their opinions and their con-
Bcientous utterances.
We shall not here enter upon any dis
cussion of the governments policy in the
philippines. The Post has made its at
titude clear enough already. We simply
wish to say that the sooner the admin
istration calls of its newspaper and other
champions engaged in this abominable
business, the better for its standing with
the country at large. 1t is Impossible to
persuade any intelligent human being
that the case is one of patriotism against
treason. We are engaged in no war with
a foreign power. The honor of the
nation and the flag is not involved.
There is no possible excuse for trumping
up spread-eagle feryor or maudlin hys-
terlcs. The question is one of expedlency
as to which every citizen may express
his views without improperly. All this
talk such as Senator Hanna has been in
dulging into the effect that Europe will
"laugh at us" If we abandon our present
policy-is feeble nonsense. Europe is
not likely to laugh at the United States
and nobody would care even if she did.
We are not running this country to please
Europe, and have no interest or appro-
baton to consult except our own. No
amount of such gable as we refer to can
accomplish any result save that of dis
crediting the gabblers and disgusting
decent men.
AS for the outcry about reasonable
agtators, it will be we'll to remember
that every step mankind has made in the
direction of truth, enlightenment. and
progress is to be credited to agitators.
The prophets of old were agitators;
Christ was one; every pioneer of liberty
and civilization was an agitator. With
out agitators, the world would still be
plunged in darkness and we but little
better than the aboriginal savage. Agi-
tation differentiates the true from the
false prophet If we are laundering in
the Orient, agitation will reveal our
error. If we be right, agitation will
Justify US. No righteous cause has ever
been hindered by agitation. Every
wickedness and tyranny and vice has
trembled and fallen before it, Such
newspapers as the New York Sun will
brighten no brave man by their tinsel
thunders and their cheap appeals. They
can disgust the American people, how
ever, and weaken their own position by
such methods, and, indeed that is what
they are doing at this moment.-Wa ash
ington Post.