The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-30

whose letters from TINS CITY
the Venezuelan boundary dis
mute attracted such Widespread atten-
Is in Washington again as war
correspondent of his paper. To-nisht
cahled the following to the Chronicle
through his courtesy h associated
press Is able to present the matter from
this side:
.'since my arrival I have sought dill
gently in all quarters for some outhhe
or suggestion of the policy to be pur-
sued BY the United States in the imme-
diate future. The result OF the war IL a
conclusion. Each days news
haS therefore, only an incidental IN
terest. But. wholly without inteht,Sn
on the part Of the administration. the
country IL rapidly approaching a situa-
0ion where a decision more momentous
than any for a century past u be
taken. The results of this decision VIII
affect European nations hardly less
than America itself. Upon such mat
tiers I have been unwilling to say a
word until convinced IL was based on
nolid facts. I have conversed with al
most every man, beginning with the
highest. where authority will mould
the issue, and with many old frienos
and new acQuaintances. representative
Of ali shades of opinion. The inquiry
has been like the search for a needle
in a haystack. and | have now reached
the conclusion that in this particular
stack there is no needle at all.
Il mean that neither in the white
house nor in the state department is
there any definite conviction or deter
mination of the future direction of the
national policy with regard to the dis
posal OF these oversee possessions,
over which the American flag will be
dying when the war is over. This may
Hc,~I lfka a h0utflo nvttiriSm NOthtnR
q sfurther from my mind. The United
States has drifted steadily towards Its
new fate. II the Maine mad not been
blown up. war would not exist to-day.
The neutrality of England forced Ad-
miral Dewey's squadron to sea n TO
smash the Spanish Asiatic squadron
n seize Manila was his only course.
This accomplished, IL became instant
~ Imperative to send him reinforce
ments. and these had to be strong
enough to defeat 20 spanish regiments
n occupy the principal Islands.
The same Is true of the Atlantic.
When wal was declared IL was believed
that the insurgents were capable OF
taking the field against the Spanish II
supplied with arms. ammunition and
food II is now thought they are
wholly incapable of this. and the mill
tary authorities nave become deeply
averse to any cooperation with the in
surgents. holding the view that the
American army should act with com
plete independence. so as 10 be free "a
face whatever situation might arise af-
ter the Spanish are expelled. To Pres
3dent Mckinley alone is due the escape
of this country from the fatal blunder
OF recognizing the insurgents as bel
n~gerents. and for this every thinking
American to-day is profoundly Crate
ful Again, there was originally no
intention OF bombarding or seizing Por-
20 Rico. Admiral SIMPSONS bonn
bardment was a failure. and should
have been sooner and n or not at all,
That mistake is not to be repeated, and
the second Spanish feet viii not find a
base there.
Moreover. nobody could have fore
seen the extraordinary change Of public
opinion after Admiral Dewey's victory
Between April 80 and May | a revolu-
tion took place. On that day the idea
of keeping the Philippines had not oc-
CURED to anybody; on the next day
few people thought of giving them up
Now. also. 1t is appreciated that IL Il
impossible TO dispose of them to any
other power without the gravest compli'
cations. while public sentiment Is intol'
Grant of the idea Of restoring them e
Spanish misrule.
Thus. in every direction, events have
moved, and the administrators has fol
iUWtu. III f1hlbaEeaobA AsoN : - .
has been a ease of position of invisibli
hands. The moving finger has written
and IL cannot be lured back 10 canoe
half a line The question il. Will tn
United States. when peace IL signed
withdraw within Its old limits, abide b,
Its old traditions and resist the tempta
ton; or will IL boldly follow the for
tunes that war has brought and turl
its fac toward a new destiny?
1.-THE struggle win be long and bit
ter. The opponents of annexation urg
that the constitution permits no ter
ritory to be incorporated In the unto
which cannot become a state. II Is re
piled that America must no longer IL
George Washington do its thinking fo
Il. 1t is declared that the country pos
eesses no class OF men capable of ao
ministering eastern countries, and this
these will merely become the prey
professional politicians. The retort
that the necessity of finding such me
will compel at least a complete reforl
OF the diplomatic n consular service
and thu deprive the politicians Of the
old spoiis.
why. ask the ones. would we needles
" entaneie ourselves with European poV
ers and enter the far Eastern polite
arena? We are already e~ntangled. rep
the others. Our interests are equal
those of England in keeping open q
waists markets OF China. and Englai
win be ~overborne and China seized piec
meal unless we range ourselves alongsD
her.
ut viii take a great navy and arm
say the directors. II Is perfectly C
tain, reply the annexationists. that I
country has already determined 10 Ia
strong navy and an army such as new
aRsfn shall we be caugh In this q
graceful state OF unpreparedness. Havi
these, therefore. why should we not I
them to advance our material intere'
and the general civilization? Bcsid
add the annexationists in conclusion.
are called on 10 take a place In the wo'
commensurate with our numbers Z
wealth, our strength and our future. p
ctsely the same counsels of timidity a
the same warnings OF disaster gree
every old accession OF territory, and
day nobody would surrender an ineh.
I'm view Of this sharp division OF or
Son IA II obvious the only statesmsnl
course of the president h TO finish
var hrst and LET the policy take care