Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-10

Brattleboro Republicans opened the cam
paign Tuesday night, when what the
Democrats have been pleased to term Inc
Hparamount" issue of the year, was dis
cussed by two former young Democrats OF
the county, c. Fred Childs of Brattleboro,
and John Barrett of Grafton, eX-mlnister
to Siam, both of whom became expansion
lists as a result of visits to the Philippines
and the Oriental countries.
At 7.3O o'clock the First Regiment band
left its headquarters and marched to the
centre of Main street where it played "Ihe
Stars and Stripes Forever" followed by
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" AS the
latter piece was being played large ma
tional flag, 20 by 30 feet, was raised, grad
ually and gracefully unfolding until the
names of Mckinley and Roosevelt were re-
vealed at the bottom.
Col. Kittredge Haskins led in giving
three cheers for the flag, and Col. Ii. E.
TAYLOR in giving three cheers for the can
didates. The band then led the way to
Festival hall, to the music Marching
Through Georgia." and was followed by
several hundred citizens.
When the two speakers marched into
the hall, accompanied by President Dun.
ham of the Republican club and several
prominent Republicans, they were loudly
applauded. Mr.. Childs, on being intro
duced by Mr.. Durham, was again warmly
greeted. Mr.. Childs spoke briefly in
conversational manner, saying in sub
stance:
As you well know, my sojourn in the
Philippines was, perhaps, too short to war
rant me to attempt to give you any new
impressions of our new possessions. In
many respects l went there open for lm-
pressions, although the opinion had
formed of the islands before my visit was
far from being empirical and farther from
being correct. As l was forced to change
my mind after a superficial inspection of
the country, so also did Bishop Potter and
scores of others, who visited Manila about
the time did, change their minds.
Whether you call our possession OF the
Philippines commercial ambition or
whether you choose to call our sovereignty
the solution of dilemma, the islands are
the key to oriental commerce, and their po-
sition is so recognized by all civilization in
the Orient. Manila proper, as city OF
900, 900, is a respectable looking, well laid
out CITY, full of business and hustle, and
the suburbs into which made excursions
proved to be thoroughly cultivated and
richly productive.
The little Filipinos are far superior to
the Japs and Chinese in morality; they
show respect for their superiors, and are
all you could expect of race handicapped
by unjust dictation and oppression of CEN
turtles.
But in spite of the returns the islands
are bound to yield some day, and suppos-
ing we didn't want or need them, we didn't
need the territory we got in the Mexican
war or in the Samoan troubles, and We
may not want any part of China, but we
may have to take some to establish inter
national peace, and it isn't natural for a
bleeding victor to be contented with mere
intangible, immaterial laurels.
The Philippines are in far better posi-
ton in the Pacific to command commerce
and control our interests in the Orient
than is Japan. l am willing to say thai
the Philippines, as l understand them
will some day rank ahead of Japan as 8
commercial centre in the Pacific, and ever
today Japan looks upon the island group al
its tropical sister.
To me the Philippines seem to be unjust
ly condemned because people dislike thu
principle which they call expansion
They charge the Philippines with being
worthless, just as they charge the mission
aries as the cause of the Boxer rebellion
It's seeing that is convincing, and visi
to the Philippines would undoubtedly con
vince many who stamp them as worthless
that they are not unworthy of the Star
and Stripes.