Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-10-22
Carnegie believes that an alliance

with England will be necessary if we
are to maintain our position in the
far east. Positively no American de-
sires an alliance with England except
on equal terms, involving no obliga-
ton to her on our part. Such an
alliance will necessitate increasing
our navy to five times it's present size
at an expense of $40, 100000. a year
for twenty years. The army will
have to be similarly increased at
corresponding expenditure. In this
connection we are reminded that the
liberation of Cuba cost the United
States $85, ZOO, 900, that the Philippine
Islands cost us $20,000,000 and that
our unsuccessful attempts to subdue
their inhabitants have cost US in one
year $751;, 100000. The prospect of a
national debt as hopeless as that of
European natious, with it's annual bur-
den of interest and taxation makes
every taxpayer hesitate and ask,
''What gain are we sure of getting in
return for this enormous outlay?"
while the lover of freedom. the sol
der of the Union, hears ringing in his
ears the immortal fat of the Declare
ton of independence that "All men
are created equal, that they are en-
dowed with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness, that to Sc
cure these rights governments are
instituted among men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the
governed" and feels that the conquest
of free men is inconsistent with the
our republican form Of government
stands. Many men of undoubted
patriotism, like Senator Hoar and Mr.
Carl Schurz and ExPresident Cleve-
land, believe that the mission of the
republic can best be served by restrict
ing it's landed domain. Hitherto the
ideal of the American people has been
a continental empire, compact, unit
ed, 1mpregnable; a land toward which
the bondmen of the earth might lift
their eyes with hope, and, coming,
find that hope fulfilled; not an empire
of subject races ruled by a despotic
hand, but nation, sovereign, grand
and free. For that union and that
freedom, you, my hearers, risked
your lives, and thousands of your
comrades fell upon the battle fields
of the civil war. THAI was a war
waged for human freedom; just, if
any war is ever just; the wars we
wage to day are wars of conquest and
of plumber.
The nation should find it's strength
in its measureless expanse of inland
overlooking with natural
resources, richly sufficient for the
country's needs: while its security
against attack lies in the absence of
outlying possessions, its sea- coast
forming natural boundary, near at
hand and easy of defence. Within
these natural limits, comprising
3, OOO, 900 square miles and more, har-
monious and intelligent population
may find ample means of livelihood
for centuries to come. Here is the
mission of the republic-to build here
the noblest institutions, to man them
with the highest type of citizenship,
than this that g government of the
people, by the people, and for the
people' need not perish from the
earth. Here is field for all our
energies, and there is only danger
and dishonor in dreams of empire.
The problem which the treaty of
Paris brought home SO unexpectedly
to the American people is moment
GUS one: It's Importance cannot be
Tariff laws change with
every administration, the trusts come
and go, silver rises and falls in the |
overheated cauldron of Mr.. Bryan's |
political imagination, but expansion
comes to stay. Once we embark upon |
this policy, we cannot retrace our
steps. While we honor the men who |
risked thir lives in camp and field to |
aid the Cuban patriots and rescue
their wives and children from starva- |
ton, dishonor and death, we need not |
necessarily accept the political out
come as inevitable. 1t is unfortunate |
that platforms were not framed and |
chosen solely on this ques-
ton, so that every voter might have
the chance to express his conviction
On the merits of imperialism alone,
antrammelled by minor issues, by
former party prejudices or by the
personal qualities of candidates. Mr..
McKin1av,s friends have p1acod hin,