The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-27
An "ImperiaI" Policy.

An "ImperiaI" Policy.
The war with Spain seems likely 10 put
! the politicians as much at sea as are the
/ hiding and seeking squadrons in the Garth
| bean. Already the congressman at Wash
/ ington, and party leaders elsewhere, are
( discussing what the political effect of the
war is likely to be; what effect it win
have upon the country's foreign policy
and indeed its domestic policy. There
| seems to be a strong underlying opinion
that there viii be a reforming of lines
and platforms in the two great political
| parties, but just in what shape cannot yet
be determined.
Meantime there is much discussion at
Washington of what is called the policy
OF "imperialism," which may become a
leading issue in the next national cam
paign As the name indicates, the object
Of this policy is the extension of empire,
or territory. Empire can wait" said Nj
Speaker Reed a short time ago; but it
seems that there are politicians at Wash
ington who think it should wait no longer
than the conclusion of a peace with Spain,
and that then the United States holding
territory won from Spain, should proceed
Systematically to extend their dominion
wherever the opportunity offers, with
view to an enlargement of our markets.
Any such plan of action would of course,
abrogate the Monroe doctrine, and set
aside the policy of isolation advocated by
so many of our statesmen. The "imper-
ialists' however, argue that Washington,
Jeffe rson Jackson, Monroe, and our other
4Vl...t
were a small nation residing along the
Atlantic coast, and their theories were ex-
cellently fitted to the conditions which
then existed, but that now we are a great
and rich people stretching from ocean
to ocean, leading the world in production
and manufactures and in need of an ex-
tended territory for trade; that policies
which were suited to our forbears are not
suited to us. and should therefore be set
aside for more modern arrangements.
There are some woll-informed observers
at the national capital who are convinced
that we have just about arrived at
parting of the ways between political ele
ments on the question of a policy of con-
servatism and non-interference, such as
we have pursued, and one of aggressive
imperialism such as certain countries OF
Europe are pursuing. They go so far as
to predict that the silver issue will be
practically lost in the shuttle" unless the
silver advocates succeed in lacking it on
as tail to one of the pro- or anti-imperial-
ism kites which they say win be foated
in the breeze Indeed, it is said that a
committee on publication of a prominent
silver organ published in Washington
held meeting few nights ago to dis
cuss what attitude should be taken to-
wards the new issue, and to take steps
looking to a union of interests with the
side which should appear to be the stron-
ger.
Which party would be the more apt to
take up and champion the new issue? The
democrats have always been found on the
side of conservatism, home rule, non-in-
reference, low taxes and an economical
government Imperialism would cali for
the largest and strongest navy in the
world, a great standing army, the build
ing of the Nicaragua canal at government
expense, and the laying of submarine ca
bles TO Hawaii and our other possessions
as military necessities These things
would require the expenditure of hun
dreds of millions of dollars, to be raised
by taxation. Add these hundreds of nit
lions to those which we are now paying
in pensions-and this new war will give US
more and increasing pensions for years to
come-and it will be seen that the scheme
would make grinding taxation necessity.
The Democratic party is opposed to thar
sort of thing. On the other hand the Re
publican party has posed as the party of
vigorous foreign policy" 1t has al
ways been the party of high taxes and
centralized government