The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-09-26
Nightmare v. Progress.

The nightmare of horrifying impe-
rialism is yet enthroned on the totter-
ing intellect of the Brattleboro Re.
former, end seems likely to spur il to
desperation and physical collapse.
Hear it:
when the Mckinley apologists, echoing
his sopbistry, tell you that Imperialism is
but 'bogy' and that there is no difficulty
or danger but only duty and destiny in
following in the course where he leads,
just ask them to answer a few simple ques-
lions.
Ask them to name q single nation in all
the past that has gone into conquest and
ruling over other peoples that has not
been ruined by it..
Ask them to name single republic that
it has not undermined, and in the end con-
verified into an empire"
Such visions OF the night are indeed
a serious matter. What the Reformer
needs is light diet and perfect rest.
To this end and IS a soothing potion
the DAILY JOURNAL will contribute
the alleviating information that there
are no Mckinley apoogists," any
more than there are snakes in Ireland.
Patriotism and honor and the policy of
the administration and the flag require
no more apology or defence than does
the Sermon on the Mount. 'Duty and
destiny" are indeed following joyfully
with clasped hands in the cause where
he leads. 1t is not condition or
theory or an opinion or anything which
is open to argument; it is plump and
solid contemporaneou fact.
"Ask them to name single nation
in all the past that has gone into con.
quest and ruling over other peoples,
that has not been ruined by it,"
All yesI BY gradual conquest this
republic has extended its bounds from
plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate,
from Aroostook to Ell Paso, and the
aboriginals, where are they? Behold
the damnable fruits of criminal ag-
erosion" and government without
the consent of the governedl" WASH
ington and Jackson, and earlier, Cap
tain John Smith and Hendrick Hud-
son and hundreds of that era were the
unconscious McKinleytes of those
early days, with only a lust for con-
quest, rapine and assimilation" Too
bad they acted so, wasn't it? What is
the theory of your nightmare, dear
Retormer, as to all this? Does it de-
plore the founding of mighty Repub-
lie in new world because it involved
some inconvenience to the original
inhabitants?
The nations of Europe are civilizing
and enlightening the Dark Continent.
For half century the world has been
carrying law and order and the princi-
Piles of Christianity into darkest Africa.
Steadily the work has progressed and
will continue to progress until con-
tinent and its people are brought to
the light and the truth. According to
the ideas filtered through the Reformer
from its nightmare this is all very
much to be regretted. Those people
should have been left alone-"freel"
Verify!
Has this republic been "undermined"
and converted into an empire" by its
conquest of the territory comprising
the United States? Has France been
''undermined" and converted into an
empire by the conquest of Algiers and
Madagascar and Anam? On the con-
trary, and Notwithstanding the unclean
spirit which besets the Retormer, the
empire has actually been converted
into republicl Has Europe been Sun
dermined" by the conquest of Africa
and its redemption from ignorance and
barbarismP Has England been "under-
mined" by its redemption of India
from the hordes of heathenism?
But why prolong this cruel inquisi-
tionp 1t were unkind in the extreme
to the Retormer, and the JOURNAL can
only advise it to make one last supreme
effort to throw off the incubus of the
nightmare of imperialism, to detach
the vampire of anti-expansion from its
throat, to arise, rub its eyes and allow
the sunlight to,enter them, and to fall
in with the mighty procession in its
irresistible march toward extended
liberty, enlightenment and prosperity.