The Portland daily press., 1898-09-08

The Boston Journal thinks the War
Department should be investigated by q
board of militery experts. That would
be an ideal method, provided it is possi-
bic to secure officers who will act with
strict impartiality, without fear or favor,
and who the public will believe Will so
act, for in the investigation of case
which has aroused great popular interest
it is quite as necessary that the public
shall believe the Investigators to be hon.
est and fearless as for them &C tually to be
SO. And here is the chief difficulty with
a military board. Army officers are 80
closely connected with the War Depart
ment that it will be difficult to convince
the public that they will act fearlessly and
impartially. On the other hand an in
vestigation by Congress will be open to
the suspicion that it is affected by polit-
ical considerations, especially as there Is
an evident effort being made by one par
ty already to make political capital out
of the alleged shortcomings of the Mar
Department. An investigation by a
board of citizens, of national prominence
connected neither with Congress not the
army, would command more confidence,
we believe, than one made by Congress
or a board of military officers.
There is some reason to believe that the
wave of imperialism is receding, due in
part to more correct understanding of
the responsibilities that will be placed
upon Us in attempting to govern far
away territory inhabited by semi-civilized
people, ana the great cost in money and
perhaps also in life of discharging them
properly. Probably too, the condition in
which the volunteers have returned from
Southern camps has had an effect.
Nobody pretends that the Philippines can
bs held without large army, but the
fathers and mothers of the youth of the
country from which such an army must be
recruited, since they have seen the effect
of few months stay in the comparatively
mild Temperature of Tennessee and V1r-
ginia, have conceived a decided aversion
to sacrificing their sons to the work of
comforting blessings upon the Filipinos
in the torrid heat of Manila. Even some
of the religious bodies are beginning to
see that as an assistance to missionary
enterprise the permanent holding OF the
Philippines Will be Of doubtful utility.
The Roman Catholic Church is dominant
there now among the Christians
and it's influence is very great.
The chances are that if we under
take to govern the Philippines we shall
have to rely to some extent upon Its as
sistance, at any rate it will be exceeding
ly unwise to ALLEVIATE 1t. But nothing
more than a wise recognition OF it's in
fiuence is likely to be denounced by a
large class in this country as catering to
Romanism, and there will be the worst
kind of rumpus. The danger of getting
religious questions into politics in this
country is greatly enhanced by the an
nexation of countries solidly Roman
Catholic, like Porto Rico and the Philip
pines. And it is danger which is exceed
ingly grave. No contest is half SO bitter
as a religious contest. 1t has in it the
| seeds of disruption. A national election
which should turn upon the policy to be
pursued toward the dominant religion S
scots in our colonies, would leave no end
of evils behind it.