The herald., 1898-07-12
AFTER PEACE WHATp

II the imperialist policy is to prevail, if
we are to hold the territory already
seized and yet to be subdued, the people
of this country may as we'll reconcile
themselves at the outset to the indefinite
collection of war taxes; for the expenses
Of the government will increase rather
than diminish for years after the ratifi-
cation Of peace. This was true of the civil
war, and It will be accentuated by the
experience Of the present war; The daily
cost at the present time is scarcely less
than 100000. Before Spain is subdued
the aggregate will doubtless approximate
the estimate of Senator Hale, when the
war revenue measure was pending, $780,
600, 900, or nearly SO head for every man,
woman and child in the country.
The law under which volunteer army
OF a quarter of million men has been as
sembled provides for its reduction to
peace basis upon the close of hostilities;
but when that law was enacted the idea
Of territorial expansion, with all that it
comprehends in men and money, was
scarcely more tangible, in the minds of
our wisest and most far-seeing states
men, than a dream. Were the war to end
tomorrow, it is not likely the government
would soon, or before congress again
meets, see it's way clear to the mastering
out of a single man from the new army
or navy. And whereas the provisions of
the law are mandatory as to the reduc-
ton of the force effective of the army. the
necessities of the condition that will OBJ
tain must force the president to. demand
their repeal, or an extension Of the limit
of time.
1t is not now conceivable that Cuba or
the Philippines can or will be left without
garrisons adequate to the maintenance
of peace. pending the formation of stable
governments by their people, should that
policy be pursued. And in the other con-
tingency-the attempt upon our part to
retain possession of them under some
form of territorial government of our own
creation-we shall need to supplant the
at cost greatly enhanced.
Wholly independent of the necessity for
. vast increase in our naval strength, en-
failing an outlay of hundreds of millions,
we shall have the added cost of setting up
and maintaining expensive governments
in the distant islands, all of which original
outlay must be assessed against the tax
able property of the United States.
It will be urged that all this will be more
than counterbalanced by the indemnity
which we shall exact from Spain and by
the legitimate revenues Of the territory
acquired. These are assets upon which we
are not likely to be able to realize for
long time. Spain is turnip from which
we cannot extract blood. Moreover, it
Is a badly withered turnip, from which
we may not for long time be able to ex-
tract anything 1t is bankrupt in purse
and credit, and whatever indemnity 1t
may agree to pay will not, in all human
probability, be liquidated within the life
of the present generation.
Unlike France. which astonished the
world by the rapidty with which it can
celed, the Indebtedness saddled upon it by
its last emperor Spain is a dying nation,
= waning power, decadent state, whose
continuing folly promises only a multiple
cation of disasters contributing to her
steady decline in resources.
Island revenues may after time begin
10 ho o6or 1,oI1
In the beginning be forced to enter against
them; and yet no estimate of these will be
safe that leaves out of the calculation the
friction with other nations that will be
produced by the adoption of the policy of
closed ports or of excessive tariff restrict
Ions, whereas the imposition of immod-
crate taxes upon the native peoples is sure
to antagonize them and provoke just such
results as have lost the islands to Spain.
Unless it be conceded that our foreign
commerce is to experience an immediate
and substantial expansion, by reason Of
trade advantages secured in the new pos
,essionss beyond. the: sea- the imperial
fabric at once falls to pieces. But in con-
sidering this phase of the difficult prob
lem we have to choose between two alter
native propositions, to-wit:
First-If we attempt to monopolize the
Tade, we shall find ourselves face to face
with industrial Europe, menacing to the
worlds peace and promising to array
against US even England herself; for it is
sot conceivable that she will aid, US in