Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-10-04
"Looking Backward"
rwrit,en for Thi. Psper.l

alOZ nv cfellN Vi hdiliias iNoh bSAoi'
bis students Sept. 6, A. d., 29OO.
The ancient American nation. known
as the United States, which wrestet
these Philippine Islands from Spain
over a thousand years ago and for
few years held them in subsection, i
now no longer a nation. For five hun
dred wears her name has not been writ
ten on the roll OF nations, and for th'
same length of time her flag, the proue
ensign of the greatest republic which
ever existed. has not iloated upon sea
OF land. At the time Of the Spanish
! American war in 1895 she was The
freest, the wealthiest and the most
powerful nation in the whole world
! And vet she was the youngest nation
of Importance, but little over century
old. Her prospects for the future
were brighter than those OF any other
mower. Her almost inexhaustible re-
sources had but Just begun TO be drawn
upon. Her wide territory was but
| sparsely settled and offered homes 70
many more millions than she then had.
Her civilization was OF the highest.
Free schools were universal and her
common people were more intelligent
than those OF any other land. Ameri-
ca was the home OF inventive genius
and her manufactures were uneXcel-
led, while her foreign commerce was
very great She ruled the western
hemisphere while her voice was p0ten-
tial I'm the eastern hemisphere. Her
people were patriotic, held together IN
love OF country by the common liberty
which they enjoyed. They were gal
liant people too, and invariably success
ful in war both on land and sea, there
was little of national greatness which
they might not look forward % with
hope Of achieving IL And
vet She has been dead for centuries,
her name upon the list Of departed ma
lions. and her history being forgotten
Il will be instructive 70 youth. ] trust.
90 inquire into the causes OF 30 great a
downfall the destruction Of So mighty
anati0n. Her fate was due 90 errors Of
Judgment IN some Of her statesmen and
the majority Of her people, and their
inability 10 toresee or even 20 suspect
the remarkable events IN the history OF
The world which were before them but
were hidden IN the mist Of The future
The seeds OF dissolution aud
ultimate destruction were sown Ia the
time Of President Bryan. who gave up
these Philippine Islands and all other
outlying lands, as Hawaii. Porto Rico
and the samoan possessions This len
the western coast particularly open 70
attack and not 80 wei protected as be-
fore, since these Pacific island. became
vantage points OF the enemies OF the
country, as bases Of coal supply tor
their war vessels. OF course the Euro
Pean powers took possession OF all
these Islands just rs soon ~ they We're
abandoned by the United States Bv
the partition Of China among these
power, IN 1905, they became enormous
ly wealthy, populou. aud powerful
They discovered also. III the dismem-
berment OF the ancient Chinese empire.
a valuable fact, aud that wa, that an /
the European powers could be allied I
against a common enemy aud thus
make themselves irresistible hy any
victim they selected ior destruction. |
The four great powers. Russia, Eng. /
land, Germany and France. which now
alone rule the world. learned the pow
CT OF united action aud became firm 4
friends and allies instead Of opposing
each others ambitions Is they had for
merry done. one by one they con.
quered and absorbed the smaller ma
tIons, as spain, Austria. Italy. Turkey
and the Balkan states. and when they
had thoroughly assimihted these. sub
dued Japan and gotten their Chinese
provinces into peaceful and revenue
condition, they turned their
eyes and their arms 20 the western
hemisphere The Monroe
aoctrine was overthrown and the
South American nations We're first tax
en- aud parceled out between the four
great powers. Central America was
.aken next and then Mexico was seized
The United State, fought CALAMITY
against these robberies. but She was
lyermatched, and after along struggle
was Obliged 10 conclude a treaty oil
peace which left her no longer the
mistress Of the western hemisphere
put a beaten nation. with naughty foes
IN the north and on the south. Her
expansion was ehectually stopped. but
his did not satisfy. The republic was
menace to the monarchial form of
government, because the common peo-
PIE love liberty rather than deSpotiSm |
md the four powers determined 10 ne
M Of u. Another war va. IN 4 few
ears declared. 4 strong army Of the
lilies was assembled on the Canadian
border Another, equally strong
threatened from the Mexican line
ne allied fleets ravaged the Atlantic
mo Faciilc coasts and the American
laHy was swept from the sea. A large z
APeditlon Of the enemy went up he q
mississippi, occupying and holding tbe
owns on the way and the rep1bIic
vas mus splitin twain. The seaboar,l cit.
e were bombarded and many oftbem
AIKEN and garrisoned. The once grand
auoh was hemmed In and overrup
rom all directions by horde. of soi.
u OF all races. and after a lon0 ana
.ooly war was finally coponere,l
bout A. y. 2400 Then the con0Ber
y a,micCabiy divided itup among them
,,ngiand took the states east III the
ii,sNs.lssippi, France took most of tbe