St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-15
REPUBLICAN RALLY.
A Stirring Address by William Il.
Abbott of Porto Rico.


Railroad street and the "Plain," but
heavy storm changed that part Of the
program. The rain also seriously inter
fered with the attendance at the rally
and only about $50 were present.
After a selection by the band, Elmore
T. Ide, president Of the Club, appeared
on Music Hall platform, followed by
William T. Abbott, Lieut.. Gov. Bates,
L. P. Slack and P. F. Hazen. With brief
Introductory remarks Pres. Ide called
upon the speaker of the evening, Vim. T.
Abbott of Porto Rico. Mr.. Abbott's
address asentitled imperialism, and,
in brief, he brought the results of his owu
personal observation and experience in
Porto Rico TO refute the charges of i'm
perialism made as to Porto Rico and,
by way of comparison, as to the Philip
pines, he said:
Imperialism is not a paramount issue
in this campaign. The common people,
and not parties, make paramount issues,
and the people of the party of Lincoln,
Grant, Garfield and Mckinley will not
go wrong. Next to loyalty to the flag
the Republican party has always been
loyal to its leaders. AS Lincoln shook
off the blackman's chains, so Mckinley
has freed the white man from industrial
slavery. In the very beginning of the
campaign we are confronted with facts
and not with theories. All have enjoyed
the Increased prosperity of the present
administration, but none more than the
farmers and the industrial class. And
the issue before the American people is
whether or not they will say goodbye
to this prosperity.
While not concedipg that imperialism
is the main issue, we are willing to meet
this new and strange doctrine, AS it
may be fairly assumed that the present
"imperialistic" policy of our government
will have the same results in the Philip
pines as may be seen in Porto Rico, we
shall try to show
How the facts in Porto Rico cores
pond to theories given by Democrats?
Is it Imperialism to send American
soldiers to aid in cleaning the cities, in
supplying fresh water free to the poor
in so reforming sanitary arrangements
that Porto Rico is now the most health
full tropical land in the world? Is it i'm
peralism to give Porto Rico a stable
currency, a currency that is of equal
value on payday and when it is spent
for necessaries, currency that is as good
as our own; for the United States mill
fore thought to be purely philanthropic
work, to save thousands from starva-
ton, to not only send supplies, but in
the methods OF distribution to teach the
the simple minded people the value of
work and of helping themselves Is it
imperialism to make taxation equal for
poor and rich alike, to compel the rich to
paw duty for their luxuries and thus
reduce the duty paid by the poor for
their necessaries to relieve the poot
from the burden of supporting a state
church and lotteries; to compel respect
for domestic relations, and to lesser
crime by bringing lawful marriage
within the reach of the poorest inhabi
tants? Is it imperialism to so reform
. the courts that, where before prisoner
until brought to trial, was totally igno
! rant of the charge against him, now on,
accused is regarded innocent until provel
guilty; to send American school-teacher
to live in great discomfort and in som
cases to suffer privation, at $40. pc
G month, that the ignorant little Port
s Rcans may be educated? 1t was
S,and sight when, on Washington
!, birthday in the theatre at San Jua1
= 5000 Porto Rican school. children, eac
n waving our flag, sang "My Countr,
s. 'Tis OF Thee" and THE Star Spangle
It Banner" 1t aroused feeling of patric
e tism, not the kind that makes one war
r. to march to stirring music, but the kin
=. that makes the heart beat faster, thf
E, makes a lump rise in the throat, ar
r, that brings man to thank God that
0f is an American citizen.
d Mr.. Mckinley has been wrongly ce
n sured for his change of attitude on tt
o Porto Rican tariff question. Experien
y has proved his wisdom, and while Hen
IS Clay said 81 had rather be right thi
m be president" William Mckinley is bot
"a The Democratic platform, speaking. up
Ct the Porto Rican law says;
al ut imposes upon the people of Por
as Rico government without their conse
Il. and taxation without representatiC
of . 1t doomed to poverty and {
VI. tress people whose helptssness appe
d. with peculiar force to our justice a
ST magnanimity." Now what is there
~ this Porto Rican tariff, which is in 70
ed only to March 1, 1902, that is like ta
tion without presentation All
nc nc leading merchants of Ponce, the c.
ho mercial center of the island, desired
at and not one cent of the money goes