The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-28
POLICY OF IMPERIALISM
THE GREAT ISSUE BEFORE
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Changed Conditions, the Result of
the War, Indicate That the Next
National Campaign May he
Fought Oh New Lines of Political
DivisiOn-Parting of the Ways
Is Apparently at Hand.
Washington Bureau, st. Paul Globe, !
Corcoran Building. {

Washington Bureau, st. Paul Globe,
Corcoran Building.
Special to The st. Paul Globe.
w WASHINGTON, May 27.-The war
revenue debate in the senate and the
coupling with the pending bill of the
Hawaiian annexation problem indicates
what shrewd politicians at the capital
have been predicting. Today's events
show that the imperial policy is the
great issue before the American peo-
pie today. To annex or not to annex
is the question. In this is involved not
only Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines
but, as necessary part of colonial
system, an immense standing army and
great navy.
1t is easy to see that public opinion
is now rapidly dividing on these ques-
tions, and three ideas, annexation.
army and navy, are so prefectly group
ed as to make a platform in them
selves.
The new navy has since 1883 been a
paStime of peace, and afforded no op-
portunity for party divisions. How fast
to go was largely a matter of personal
preference and opinion, or of local in
terest in the neighborhood Of shipyards
and armor and ordnance factories: nor
was the expenditure of $50, ,O0O, 900 or SO
a year enough to displace the economic
issues over which the country was di-
V!ded. But all proposals to increase the
size or our standing army have here
tofore been stubbornly resisted Ira
dltlonal policy is so strongly against
great military establishment in time Of
peace that had Secretary Whitney been
the head of the war department in
1855, and tried to put US on the Euro
pean plane in that regard, his efforts
would nave aroused such a storm that
Mr.. Cleveland'S so-called free trade
message of 1887 would never have been
heard of in the following campaign. We
could increase the navy without vio-
fence TO our traditions but the army
was different matter.
PARTING OF WAYS.
The time has evidently arrived when
the country is at the parting of the
ways One element of the American
people is ready to override the tradi-
tlons Of the past in regard to the army.
10 bu1ld navy the equal of any on
earth' to annex all kinds of outlying
territory in order to make a wider mar
ke't for American capital and products,
TO dig ship canals and lay ocean cables
as a consequent military and navy
necessity, and, in short, to embark
upon the regulation imperial policy of
Europe
some OF the people may like this pro-
gramme, and they are now making
themselves quite distinctly heard. But.
on the other hand, there is a large and
determined opposition to such a policy.
in whole and in part Herein is the
material for a division of parties and
for issues, compared with which tariff
and finance might seem small. To mako
these the issues Of 1900 would require
tremendous recasting of party lines.
and 1T is to be hoped that imperialism
can be disposed of without bringing it
into presidential election.
Perhaps the conservative element in
each of the great parties will prevent
a commlttal of it to any such pro-
gramme, and if this can be accomplish
ed, the dreams of empire now so mucn
in evidence would likely be forgotten.
But, If the national conventions were
to assemble next month, instead of
two years from now, there is reason
able ground for apprehension lest one
party or the other cut loose from its
traditional moorings and commit it.
self to the policy of Imperialism. Which
party would it be likely to be?
PARTY RECORDS.
The Democrats more than their on
ponents have hitherto opposed an in
crease of the standing army and the
naval establishment. On the annexa-
ton question the record Of the last two
administrations shows the Democrats
principally as opponents. But this can
be in part accounted for by political
strategy.
Hawaii came into prominence as a
Harrison issue, and was opposed by Mr..
Cleveland at a time in his admins
tration when he had considerable in
fuence upon the members of his own
party in both houses. This gave a Re-
publican coloring to Hawaiian annexa-
ton, and Democratic tinge to the
opposition. President Mckinley, by
taking up the project as an admins
tration policy, has perpetuated this ap-
pearance, but if the question could be
tried independently of administrations
and parties, it is not altogether sure
that more Republicans would favor it
than Democrats. One of the house Re-
puDllcans, Who is now outSpoken
against Hawaiian annexation, said
there were today fifty Republicans in
the house who did not want the ISL
ands annexed, and who were privately
expressing the hopes that Speaker Reed
would resist all pressure to let the
question come up.
substantially all of them will proba
ply vote for annexation if the question
does come up. They feel that the par
ty is committed to it, and that alleg-
lance to the head of the administration
calls for some sacrifice of their per-
sonal opinions. Democrats, on the other
hand, are doubtless Influenced to vote
against it by desire to checkmate the
Republican administration, and so it is
hard to get at actual party prefer
ences
HAWAIIAN PRECEDENT
There have been no congressional di-
visions on the question of what to do
with the Philippines, but the Hawaiian
precedent is likely to have some po-
tency. A dozen other questions ara
directly related to this same imperial
policy, but they have not yet been
tried in party caucus.
Shrewd politicians are waiting to see
how the wind blows before committing
themselves too strongly on this new
question. They will watch the attitude
of the press and public for the newt