Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) Have we, as a people, anything to gain by joining hands with Great Britain in a Napoleonic policy of world-conquest? Although the administration is at present carefully concealing any disposition it may have to enter upon such a policy, the disposition is believed to exist, and that question may become a leading one in next year’s Presidential compaign. In diplomatic circles it is believed that the first steps towards such a policy have already been taken, and that the suspension of Dr. Bedloe, as U. S. Consul at Canton, China, at the request of the government of China, is one of them, although it is stated at the State Department that the suspension of Dr. Beloe was brought about by some irregularity in connection with his issuing papers to an American vessel engaged in supplying arms and ammunition to the Filipinos and in issuing certificates to Chinese merchants trading with the Philippines. The present attitude of greatness occupied by the U. S. was attained by following from the days of Washington a policy of strictly attending to our own affairs and leaving the people of other nations to do the same. The glamour of foreign conquest has turned the head of the people of other nations many times in the past, and a few months ago there appeared to be danger that Americans would be blinded by the same glamour, but the common sense for which Americans are renowned, has come to the rescue, and our people are realizing not only the meaning, but the danger of adoption of an imperialistic policy by the U. S., and present indications are that that realization will result in a restoration of the democratic party to power, and a resumption for the only safe foreign policy of this government to follow. Men who at the beginning supported the expansion policy of the administration, are now severely criticising the results obtained by following that policy. For instance, the Washington Post, which has to all intents and purposes been an expansion sheet, says editorially: “Either we have not the genius and the temperament for successful colonization, or we have been grotesquely unfortunate in the selection of our agents. It is impossible to see at I this moment where and in what respect we have accomplished anything important either in Cuba or in the Philippines In the latter we have undertaken to set up the regime of law and order and civilization, and we have failed utterly. In the case of Cuba we have undertaken to give the people selfgovernment, or at least to test their capacity in that line, and we have done neither. In the Philippines we have for six months or more been engaged in a petty and perfectly fruitless war with the natives. In Cuba the government consists of a military autocracy, little if any more beneficent than that conducted by the Spanish Governor Generals in times of peace. In Luzon it is actual war we have upon our hands. In Cuba, it is smouldering discontent, turbulence in various parts of the island, and a fatuous and feeble tyranny at Havana.” Two designs for the new $5 silver certificate, one having upon its face a vignette of Washington, and the other one of Jefferson have been submitted to Secretary Gage It is said that a republican Senator heard about this and at once hurried to see Secretary Gage to tell him not to adopt the Jefferson design, because, if he did, it might become known as a democratic note. Be that it may, Treasury officials say that the Jefferson design is not likely to be adopted. The prediction that all of the 35,000 volunteers, authorized by Congress would be enlisted, has been almost verified. An order for the enlistment of one more additional regiment which will bring the number of volunteers nearly up to the limit, has been issued by Secretary Root, and the new regiment will be composed of negroes. The officers will, of course, be white men.

Notwithstanding the statement of Secretary Gage that the Treasury would be able to meet all of the expenses incidental to the large army we are preparing to send to the Philippines, in addition to other governmental expenses, without asking congress to impose new war taxes or issuing more bonds, expert financiers who have carefully studied the matter, and whose opinions are not influenced by political exigences, still predict that more bonds or more taxes will be necessary, and when it is remembered that there was a deficit of $90,000,000 in round figures, at the close of the last fiscal year, the prediction seems reasonable. It

may also be mentioned that special agent* of the Internal Revenue Bureau are known to have been engaged for month* in investigating the working of the various stamp taxes, presumbly with an eye to more Congressional legislation in that direction.