The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-17

The war is making new political is
sues There are no two opinions about
that and many politicians are wondering
where in the world of politics they win
be found in the next national campaign
The people are not thinking now about
the free coinage of silver or the sub
sttuting Of greenbacks for national bank
notes or the alleged lncroachments Of
Federal courts or the alleged dangers
threatened by national banks and trusts
or any other thing to be found in the ma
tional platforms of 1896. They are think
ing of the expansion of territory, extern
sion Of commerce, and the probable
changes in our foreign policy.
The Republicans as a general thing. ia
vor holding all the territory which may
come into our possession as the result
of the war, and getting all we can before
the war comes to an end. For that rea-
son the administration is hurrying troops
to Manila In order to take possession of
the Philippines, and are making great ex-
ertions to get the expedition for the cap
ture of Porto Rico started.
The Democrats are not yet certain as
to the course which ought to be pursued
The most conspicuous Democratic lead
ers have taken a position against terri
torial expansion--a position taken by the
Morning News weeks ago. Mr. Cleveland,
Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Jones. the chairman Of
the Democratic national committee, and
many other Democrats of prominence be-
lieve that the best interest of the United
States require that they shall adhere to
the foreign policy of the founders of the
republic. The arguments in support Of
the correctness of their position are I'M
answerable In the debate on the reso-
luton for the annexation of Hawaii very
little effort was made to answer them.
1t is worthy of notice that the Democrats
in Congress very generally voted against
that resolution.
The question is, what position will the
Democratic party take on the question of
holding permanently all the territory we
acquire from Spain? Win it take the
position which its leaders have quite gen.
orally taken? That is a question to which
no satisfactory answer can be given. The
state Democratic conventions are avoid
HIS H. DSliCNtAl6 tilS liIne has lFOl yet
! come for definite action in regard to IT,
1t is quite certain that the Republican
party win favor the policy of territorial
expansion and if the Democratic party
should also favor it there would almost
| Immediately be a new party, because there
| are many influential men throughout the
| country who do not think it a wise pol
| icy. These men are found in both the
| Democratic party and the Republican
| party.
Just now, however, it looks as If the
| Republican party would favor territorial
expansion and the Democratic party would
| oppose 1t. Still, no one can tell what
| changes in party politics will take place
in the next year or two. At present the
| policy of holding on TO all the territory
| which comes into our possession is IN
favor, but 1t Is not by any means GER
| tain that it will remain so.
| The Populist leaders. so far as they
have spoken, say that we should keep
the Philippines, the Ladrones and Porto
Rico That being the case the probabil-
ity that they viii be allied with the Demo-
Gratis in future political contests is not
! great