The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-05-23
War, Famine and Academic Questions.

War, Famine and Academic Questions.
The New York committee OF One Hun
bred on India famine relief cabled to Vice
roy Curzon Monday, asking If 1t was true.
as reported by dispatches in certain New
York papers, that no more funds were
needed. They received answer from Lord
Curzon that $50 far from no more funds
being needed, every dollar is of service in
saving life. We have five and three
quarter millions on relief many in extreme
restitution. All help gladly received"
Singular, isn't it? Here are efforts put
forth to save human beings in India, and
millions of pounds sterling being expend-
ed In destroying human beings in Africa.
II the advantage of the human race we're
the object sought. the people struggling
for liberty and their own development in
South Africa are OF more value than the
victims OF famine in India. The wicked
ness OF war Ia strikingly illustrated in the
contrast. Then the United States Is ex-
pending millions in killing people and
crushing a natural development OF civili-
cation in Asian islands. 1t is according
to all historic precedents that this should
be regarded as legitimate, while the use
OF money to save India's ADMINISTRATION
hordes would be impossible. Yet II human
civilization were really advancing, the re-
verse should be the case. II not, why
not? This is can academic question:
Springfield Republican.
The Republican feels obliged to
measure every question of moral ethics
by the Filipino yardstick. AS all roads
lead to Rome, all questions in politics,
morals or religion, in the sanctum of
the Mugwump editor, bring up in the
Philippines and the relations between
their inhabitants and the government
of the United States.
BY some eccentricity of circum-
stances the Republican happens to be
entirely right on the existing South
African question. Very reasonably it
takes the side of the Beers against
England. 1t sees clearly enough the
enormity of England's offence against
human rights and humanity itself in
spending millions of treasure in kill
ing a free and independent people, in
wiping them off the face of the earth
in order to rob them of their indepen'
dence and their country for the bene-
fit of Englishmen owning gold and dia
mond mines there. Meantime millions
of British subjects are perishing OF
famine in India; its English vice.
roy is frantically begging for money
throughout the world, and his Amer
lean wife is working her nationality in
the interest of ''sweet charity" among
her countrymen. 1t is, indeed. "sin
gular."
But the similitude between the wal
England 10 making on the South Afri
can republics and the war the United
States has been waging in the Philip
pines is only 6gment of the purblino
anti-imperialist vision, which in the
case of bourbon mugwump like the
Republican is somewhat more densely
ClOuutu tldu Ill OllCl LuCulDOio VI eh'
cult. The likeness Of England's wa
upon the Free State and the Trans
vaal to the war the United States il
making in the Philippines is the sam'
as it might be if Great Britain, for nj
better reason than exists in Soutl
Africa, were making war on HOLLAND
and Belgium, two independent and SOY
ereign States of Europe, and the war
the United States engaged in to sub
due the Indian tribes in the territorie
formerly acquired from France, Spail
and Mexico. The latter were wars o
civilization, for the progress and de
Tense of civilization. So is the war il
the Philippines. The former would b
war of criminal aggression, just as i
the war in South Africa. These fact
and circumstances need no elucidation
and elucidation would be utterly lost Of
an anti-imperialist of the Repubhca
school. This is not "an academic ques
tiOnO