Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-09-23
A DEMOCRATIC CONVERSATION.

supposed conversation between
Judge Parker and former Secretary
| Olney appeared in the New York Sun
recently which shows up the differences
among the Democratic leaders. The con-
versation is made up of selections from
Judge Parker's speech or acceptance and
| Mr. Olneys article on the Growth of
Our Foreign Policy" which appeared in
the Atlantic Monthly for March. 1900
| The conversation reads:
Judge Parker-"Ours is a world power
and as such it must be maintained; but
I deny that it is at all recently tho United
States has attained that eminence. Our
| country became a world power over a
century ago"
! Mr.. Olney-" Historians Will probably
assign the abandonment Of the isolation
/ policy OF the United States to the time
when this country and Spain went TO
war over Cuba"
Judge Parker-"We are not military
people, bent on conquest, or engaged in
extending our domain in foreign lands"
Mr.. Olney-"The United States has
come out of It's shell ana ceased to be
hermit among nations. naturally and
properly"
Judge Parker-'T protest against the
erection Of any such military esta bllsh-
ment would be required to maintain
the country in that attitude"
Mr.. olney-"It goes without saying
that the United States cannot play the
part in the worlds affairs it has just as
sumed without equlpping itself for the
part with all the instrumentalities neees-
sary to make its will felt either through
pacific intercourse and negotiation or
through force"
Judge Parker-"The display OF great
military ornaments may please the eye
and for the moment excite the pride of
the citizen, but it cannot bring to the
country the brains Drawn and muscle of
a single immigrant, nor induce the in
vestment here of dollar OF capital"
Nj. Olney-'We cannot assert ourselves
as a power whose interests and sympa-
thies are as wide as civilization without
assuming obligations corresponding TO
the claim"
Judge Parker-'The general occupation
of our citizens in the arts of peace, or
the absence of large military ornaments.
tends TO impair neither patriotism nor
physical courage"
| Mr.. Olney-"The equipment required
for our new international role need not
be discussed at any length. We must
have 1.-THE need will be forced upon us
by facts the logic of which will be ir-
resstible-and however slow TO move or
indisposed to face the facts, the national
government must sooner or later pro-
vide for it"
Judge Parker-'T am in hearty accord
with the plank of the platform which ad-
vocates treating the Fiipinos precisely
as we did the Cubans."
Mr.. Olney-"Whether we want the
Philippines or not, and whether we ought
to have them or not, that we. have got
them is something not TO be denied. II
may be thought at first blush that to
speak Of the acquisition of Cuba as a
fact accomplished is inaccurate. But the
objection is technical and the expression
conveys the substantial truth notwith-
standing a resolution of congress which
ill-advised and futile at the time of its
passa ge, if now influential at all, is sim
ply prejudcing the interests of Cuba anc
the United States alike. No such resolu.
ton can refute the logic of undisputec
facts or should be allowed TO impede the
natural march of events. To any salts
factory solution of the Cuban problem 4
is vital that Cubas conditions should b'
permanently settled-the sooner the bet
ter. when congress makes Cuba in poin
of law what she already is in point o
fact. namely. United States territory"