The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-07-25
ARrHUR ROPES. General Editor
Four Wars in Three Years.

dent Mckinley solely on the considera-
tious presented by meu and nowspa-
pers who have been politically opposed
to them. They leave for reasonable
men no reason or argument to be sup
piled to enforce the necessity for again
defeating Mr.. Bryan. They see in
voting for William Mckinley the surest
way, the only rational way, to this most
desirable end, the accomplishment of
Mr.. Bryan's defeat 80 effectively as
shall clear the field for the restoration
of the Democratic party in 1904 to ten
able aud patriotic ground. The course
these leaders of the element in the
Democratic party that remains true to
the old historic policies and principles
of Democracy propose to themselves
and their followers is not prompted by
factional spirit 1t is dictated by a
decent regard for principles in which
they firmly believe, of which William
Mckinley is the representative, and of
which Mr. Bryan is the direct opposite.
With them principles are stronger than
party ties. So they adhere to principles
and will vote the Republican ticket be-
cause il is the embodiment of those
principles, both in deed and profession.
This seems to have no connection
with the matter of four wars in three
years. 1t has, however, very direct
connection. The occurrence of four
wars in the three years Of this Republi-
can administration is the subject of re-
mark. The Brooklyn Eagle finds in
the circumstance the subject of very
strong and discriminating editorial arti-
Gle. What the Eagle has to say on this
subject has political significance and is
worthy of sober consideration in the
early stages of the canvass for the
choice Of President for the next term.
The Eagle says:
"Since the Maine was destroyed, early
in 1898, the world has not known
peace. The war with Spain first came.
After that the uprising in the Philip
clared war against Great Britain. And
now has come the disturbance in Chi
ma, with awful results which make
Christendom unit for their redress.
The United States have a relation to
all these wars, to three OF them direct
one, that with Spain, that in the Phil
ippines and now that in China. To
the war against Great Britain in South
Africa the United States government
has no direct relation. 1t rendered its
good offices without avail. That under
the presidency of William Mckinley, a
man OF peace because he has been
faithful and valiant soldier, man of
moderation acquired in the school OF
political service, this government
should be affected by relation to four
wars, in three years, is one OF those
dramatic contrasts which stamp history
with significance and with surprise.
None of these wars was foreseen.
Not the war with Spain would have &C.
CURED, even after the destruction of the
Maine, but for zealots in Congress who
drove a declaration of hostilities
through that body with the aid of ex-
citable opinion, inlamed by yellow
journalism, and supported by the de-
mands of about every Senator and Rep
resentative now trying to make anti
imperialism an issue in our politics.
But for this, President Mckinley might
have negotiated Spain out of the West
ern Hemisphere and prevented the in-
PRODUCTION of the Philippines into the
problems for the solution of the United
States. A sane and considerable per-
centage of American minds knows that
this is true and that our President Is
now rancorously accused of fell de-
signs by those who forced the govern
ment on the chances of arms, when he
was the conservative influence against
their own hotheadedness. There is On
unrighteousness in their accusations
against him. That is manifest. 1t
may have influence with those who
easily forgot the beginnings of events,
in the swirl of their evolution into nat
ural consequences, but their memories
can be stirred to recall those begin.
nings, and, when they are, the fact will
be realized that the inti.imperialists of
today were the blood drinkers of 1898
when the republic Yves peace and when
President Mckinley stood for thai
which could have preserved peace, both
with nonor and with justice.
The Eagle hes no purpose to hold
an inquest on the past. A preventable
war with Spain was not prevented
Responsibility for it is on the anti
imperialsts of today, But none neet
carp at that. 1t is probably well tina
war was not averted. The final prod
uct of national policy is not seldom
made out of the raw material Of legis
lative blenders and Of mistaken poll
tics. A power for progress within ma
tions is often wiser than the wisdom o
men that would try to stem the folly o
factions, and that power employs evel
the wrath Of man in its scheme, Will
the remainder thereof it restraints, II
without war, the hold of Spain on tn
West Indies could have been sloughe'
off, only with war could the surgery
essential to extirpate the cancerous ia
huences and introduce healthful bloc
into the social and political body, hav