Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-01-26
LET Us Be HONEST"

/ lie w OSts nhe UCCu
strong administration paper, but which,
like many of the largest and ablest
papers of the country, is inclined to
separate on the Philippine policy, under
the above title says editorially:
Why cannot we be honest In our utter
ances touching the territories we have
recently acquired? Really it would save
time and trouble. to say nothing of life
and treasure, to come out frankly with
the announcement that we have annexed
these possessions in cold blood, and that
we intend to utilize them to our profit
and advantage. All this talk about be-
nevolent assimilation all this hypOcrit-
ical pretense of anxiety for the moral,
social, and intellectual exaltation of the
natives; all this transparent parade of
responsibility and deep-s Gated purpose :;
all this deceives nobody, avails nothing,
helps us not al inch in the direction of
profit. dignity, and honor. We all know,
down in our hearts, that these islands,
groups, etc, are important to us only in
the ratio of their practical possibilities.
We value them by the standard Of their
commercial usefulness, and by no other
All this gable about civiliZing and up
lifting the benighted barbarians of Cuba
and LuZon is mere sound and fury, sig
nifying nothing Foolishly or wisely,
we want these newly acquired territories,
not for any missionary or altruistic pur-
poses, but for the trade, the commerce,
the power, and the money there are IN
them. Why beat about the bush and
promise and protest all sorts of things :?
Why not be honest? 1t will pay.
As matter of fact, we are not con.
cerned in the ethical or religious uplift-
ing of the Filipinos. After all, the diff
ference between breeeh clout and a
staTched shirt front is mere matter of
climate and personal opinion. Dis
honesty, untruth. crime, and general
wlckedness are here in our midst-pres-
emf with Us as part of our daily life and
growing with our growth. We need not
90 to the West Indies or the Philippines
in search of m terial for moral rescue.
Our own slums sbound with opportuni.
ties for missionary zeal. Why not tell
the truth aid say-what is the fact
that we want Cuba. Porto Rico, Hawaii,
and LuzOn-together with any other
islands in either ocean that may here
af er con mend themselves to our appetite
because we believe they will add to
our national strength, and because we
hope they will, some day, become pur-
chasers at our bargain counters: We
might as well throw on the plous mask
and indulge ourselves In a little honest
candor. Ii will cost us nothing, and il
may proit much. At any rate, we shall
/ have the comfort and satisfaction of he.
| ing honest with ourselves and the privi-
lege of looking into the mirror without
! blushing.
nrit ha
[Philadelphia Ledger
The $4,000 600 people who. are affected
by the famine in India are roughly class
flied as including % 100000 in British
territory and IS 600. 600 in native states
OF the former, about 3.150.000 are now
employed upon relief works, and it is
estimated that it will take from S6.000,-
600 to 5000 900 to sustain these and
their dependents until the end of March
and this estimate makes no allowance
for their maintenance after that time
gives them no cattle TO work the ground
no seed to put in 1t, and no means OF
living until the new crop natures. \
London CORES pondent who has studied
the situation writes:
This calamity is, assure you, not noarly
at its height. There has been no winter ram
the whole land Is parchcd up, and II will take
during the next nine months Mt least $50 600,
600 to cope with the scourge in the u4ost eff
fective manner.
But rhe imperial government is strain
ing all its resources to carry on the wal
with the Beers, and has neither time MOI
money to spare for its subjects in India
The Indian government must carry or
the work of relief by itself, and how i
is to do it is problem for both states
men and philanthropists. All this. too
for the sufferers in British India. Their,
seems to be no relief for the greater mil
lions in the native territory but SLOW
and painful death.