Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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6 SOMERYI LEE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. shallow for a moment's consideration. It might be well to call to mind the fact that these same persons were not stren- uously opposed to the annexation of Hawaii and omit at present to say one word detrimental to our protection of Porto Rico and Cuba. Our policy towards our conquered ter- ritories shall be the policy of England. Wherever the flag of England flies it teaches respect for the law. Where our institutions go thev teach respect for the individual man. To teach the first has been the mission of England and to teach the second has been to the glory of the United States. Our duty towards our new colonies is self evident. Com- bine the imperialism of England with reference to her colonies, and the mis- sion of our institutions, and form an im- perialism of our own. Make them self- governing under the moral and material support of our government and in that way they will help us by their protected markets and we will support them by the planting of the stars and stripes over their territory, a protection from this day never to be minimized by a single nation. An imperialism like this is to be encouraged and fostered, but any other kind tending towards an aristo- cratic love of power, grandeur and wealth is to be repulsed and stamped out of ex- istence even if we have to retreat to our present boundaries. There is perhaps no such thing as manifest destiny, but there certainly is an evident fitness in the happenings of events and a logical result of human «action. In regard to this last thought, it may be well to stop and think that in spite of all the dire reports concerning our acquisitions of the different lands, not one of them has turned out to be true. Our venerable senator from Massa- chusetts in a recent speech denouncing imperialism, or more correctly, the an- nexation, spent most of his time in showing that the case of Hawaii was as far different from the case of the Philip- pines “as the iast is from the west,” for he asserted that “Hawaii came to us Scc Radiator of February. 98, on “ Past Acquisitions Relative to Hawaii.” with the consent of her own govern- ment.” If we can believe at all the latest so-called reliable reports, we shall have to say that the majority of all classes of business men are heartily in favor of annexation. The natives op- posed are in favor of a protectorate, while the only factor in the opposition is Aquinaldo. His opposition, like Ouecn Lil's in Hawaii, is based on self- esteem and the unwillingness to sur- render the empty pomp of royal style in which he now regales himself. Yet the most potent argument which the opponents of expansion use is the fact that Washington in his farewell address cautioned this country against such a policy. George Washington was a great man, and far be it from any thought of mine to depreciate one iota of his grandeur, but no man can lay down a policy that will survive him and be applicable two hundred years from his date. Why, his own colleagues heeded him not, and before fifty years had passed, we had annexed all our new territories, with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. Since the time when our country con- sisted of the sm«all eastern seaboard our policy has been that of expansion, not for power, but to give us the free mar- kets which are necessary to the «advance- ment and success of our industries. We must have markets or perish. We have at present a supply of goods, excluding bread-stuffs, which would last ten years without another thing be- ing made, and in view of the closing of the different European markets against our products through jealousy, we must, for our own salvation, have markets which shall be free to us and which can only be had by a controlling ownership. Our English cousins had to do it, and from an isolated group of islands they have become the ruling power in this world and the center of power. Trade has moved from the continent across the English Channel and taken up its abode in England. Watch this center of power and trade, and the most bigoted cannot help but seeing that the trend of events is such that at a not far distant day the United States of America, by

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. 5 Zbc Ipbiltppmes anb Imperialism. WILLIAM II. BURGESS, E. II. S., ’07. Man is his own star: and the soul that can Render an honest and perfect man Commands all life, all influence, all fate, Nothing to him falls early or too late: Our acts our angels are. for good or ill: Our fatal shadows, that walk by us still. The United States is on the threshold of an experience which the London Speaker terms: “Compulsory imperial- ism.” Whether or not we have wisely assumed duties towards alien races in the interests of humanity is a question, the decision of which belongs to no man or party of men, and which will not be decided until the generation which has won us these duties shall have passed away. In the interests of humanity we have undertaken a war with one of Europe’s foremost powers, and our armies have entered the mis-managed and down-trodden territories of Spain These interests demand that they shall stay there and help to their feet these oppressed of oppressed. In private life we will not raise a man from the gutter and then leave him to fall back, but we will aid him to safety. Yet what applies to the life of an indi- vidual equally applies to the life of a nation. It is needless for me to dwell on the geographical and commercial importance of the Philippines, for a glance at the geography is sufficient, and any up-to- date cyclopedia will furnish enough to satisfy even the most timorous. It suf- fices to say that these islands with their ten to fifteen millions are a foothold by which we can assert an influence com- mercially or otherwise in the Far East. To give them up would be to lose that influence which would make our Pa- cific coast the rival commercially of the East. To discount immediately Dewey’s great victory; it would throw them back into the hands of merciless Spain, who unable, as has been justly demon- strated, to govern them, would sell them to a European nation, which act unques- tionably would precipitate a European war. Not only in the interest of human- ity but in the interest of universal peace, as well as in our own personal interest, does the world demand that our protect- ing hand shall be over these islands. Let us turn and examine this anti-election cry of imperialism. Instead of being plain and common annexationists the ones who have advocated a policy of ex- pansion for commercial reasons only, have suddenly, for political effect, been termed imperialists. Now imperialism, according to Web- ster, is “the power or character of an em- pire.” Now where can there be found the man who would for an instant advo- cate the character of an empire, with its emperor, its princes, and the evils which history has shown are the necessary companions; but where can a man be found who would not advocate that this United States should have the power of an empire by which she could influence aright this world of ours? Previous to Dewey’s victory, we as a nation were a quantite negligeable. We took no part in any foreign controversy, the outcome of which might be detri- mental to our interests, and we main- tained an attitude of absolute indiffer- ence which to say the least was humili- ating. Now all has changed and our glorious country has been given its right as one of the foremost nations in the world, and is henceforth a power to be reckoned with and not to be ignored. Hut the opponents of this so-called im- perialism, in reality our new policy of expansion, say we are going to annex the Philippines with their millions of Malays, admit them as a state and have within the classic ana historic walls of Congress two senators and many representatives who, when business drags, will arouse our noble congressmen with a genuine Malay war-dance, with spears flying at our stout speaker who has taken refuge behind his desk, and the staid members fleeing for the safety of the few hairs which remain defiant against the tremen- dous brain-work. Such nonsense is too

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. 7 its institutions, its love for the right, and its trust in the God who rules the universe, shall have the first place among the nations of the world. Exchange Notes. The Greylock Echo has a decidedly artistic cover. Adams should be congratulated on again having a school paper. The stories and editorials in the Dis- taff are plentiful and interesting. The Jabbemvock still continues its high standard and shows what girls can do. More steel is now used in the manu- facture of pens than in war implements. —Ex. The Philomath has an instructive article on the late William Kwart Glad- stone. The Radiator extends a kindly greet- ing to its old friends and welcomes gladly its new ones. The Cherry and White is up to its usual good standard. Its class notes arc especially good. He stood on the bridge at midnight, Interrupting my sweet repose; For he was a tall mosquito, And the bridge was the bridge of my nose. —Ex The Guard and Tackle of Stockton, Cal., should represent an athletic school judging from its title. The L. and . S'. Review is a paper of which Cambridge may be proud. Its Current Events column is a creditable feature. Teacher : “ Spell needles.” “ Johnny : “ N-e-i-d-l-e-s. Teacher: “There’s no “i” in it. Johnny: “Then it’s no good.”—Ex. “ Oh, parson ! I wish I could carry my gold with me,” said a dying man to his pastor. “ It might melt,” was the consoling answer.—Ex. The Eastern High School, Washing- ton, has the honor of possessing a gen- uine Spanish flag, taken from the Court House of Manila by a former student of that school. Tearing up the sidewalk is not exactly a patriotic flag raising.—Ex. Many of our exchanges contain de- scriptions of the late war and camp-life. We wish the “Chauncy Hall Ab-, stract all possible success in its effort to raise the interest in its issue. The teacher was at the telephone. “ Yes, this is room—but I can’t hear you very well. Please wait a minute until I put my glasses on.” Our exchanges this fall have been very pleasant. Many former ones have been received and quite a number of new ones added to our list. Ypsilanti, Michigan, must abound in foot-ball coaches, for we read in the Chat — “The High School foot-ball team has a coach for every player.” “ Say, I’ve had a chance to go to work for a Chicago wholesale house. What would you do if you were in my shoes?” Friend (after a careful inspection) : “ I think I should black ’em.”—Ex. Truth is not by any means what peo- ple, as a general rule, like to consider it, nor is it what they, at all times, like to hear ; but it is what they have found to be a fact after the closest observance and most careful investigation. Truth is the very bond of society.—Ex. Professor (in English class) : “ I will read a sentence, and you may punctuate it properly: “ The beautiful girl for such was she was passing down the street.” Student: “ I think, Professor, that I would make a dash after the beautiful girl.” The Radiator is exceedingly glad to have received this fall the following : Iletald, Academy Weekly, Argus, Liter- ary Society Monthly, Cherry and White, yJigis, Philomath, Oak, Lily and Ivy, Enterprise, Phat nix, Junto, Chat, Guard and Tackle, Premier, Abstract, East erner, L. and H. S. Review, Distaff, Bulletin, Bangor Oracle, Jabberwock.