Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-03-08
PRESIDENT McKINLEYS INAUGURAL.

and are not those we serve lifted up ana
blessed2
We will be consoed, too, with the tacl
that opposition has confronted every
onward movement of the republic from
its opening hour until now, but without
success The republic has marched on
and on and It's every step mas eNalteu
freedom and humanity We are uhuer-
going the same ordeal as did our prede-
cessors nearly century ago. we are
following the course they blazed. lheS
triumphed. l
VIII their Successors falter and plead
organic impotency in the nation? Surely
after rs years of achievement Tor man
kind we will not now surrender our equal
ity with other powers on matters luh-
damental and essential to nauohauly'
with no such purpose was the natlo"
created. In no such spirit has IL ue-
veloped its fun and Independent sover-
eighty. We adhere to the principle Oh
equality among ourselves and by no ACT
OF ours will we assign to ourselves "a SUP
ordinate rank in the family of nations
My ow-citzens, the public events OF
the past four years have gone into ms
tory. They are too near to JUSTIFY re-
cital Some of them were unforeseen,
many of them momentous and far-reach-
ing in their consequences to ourselves
and our relations with the rest of the
world. The part which the United
States bore so honorably in the thrill
ling scenes in China, while new to Ameri-
can life has been in harmony with us
true spirit, and best traditions ana IN
dealing with the results its policy VIII
be that of moderation and fairness.
AS TO CUBA.
We face at this moment a most import
ant question-that of the future relations
of the United States nd Cuba. with our
near neighbours we must remain close
friends The declaration of the purpose
of this government in the resolution pl
April 20 1895, must be made good. Ever
since the evacuation Of the island by the
army of Spain the executive with all
practicable speed has been assisting It's
people in the successive steps necessary
to the establishment of a free ana indie
pendent government prepared TO assume
and perform the obligations of internd-
tional laws which low rest upon the
United States under the treaty of PARIS
The convention held by the people 10
frame a constitution is approaching the
! completion of it's labors The transfer
I of American control to the new govern
ment is of such great Importance, in
| volving an obligation resulting from our
| Intervention and the treaty Of peace, mat
| | am glad to be advised by the recent
| act of congress of the policy which the
| legislative branch of the government
| deems essential to the best interests ~
| Cuba and the United States.
| The principles which led to our inter
| ventiOn require that the fundamental
| law upon which the new government
| rests should be adapted to secure gov
| eminent capable of performing the du-
] ties and discharging the functions OF a
| separate nation, of observing its interua-
| tional obligations of protecting life and
| property, insurng order, safety and lib
| erty, and conforming to the established
and historical policy Of the United States
| in its relation to cuba.
| The peace which We are pledged u
| leave L. the Cuban people must carry
| with it the guarantees of permancnce
| We became sponsors for the pacitication
| of the island and we remain accouutabl,
| to the Cubans no less than to our own
| country and people, Tor the reconstruc-
| ton of Cuba as a free commonwealth on
| abiding foundations Of right justice lib
| erty and assured order. our cnfran-
| chisement of the people will not be com
| pleted until free cuba shall be a reality
| not "A name; "A perfect entity; not "a hasts
| experiment bearing within itself the cle-
| mentS of failure.