Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
OUR NATIONAL BURDEN.

When congress, in opposition to the
 wishes of President Mckinley, insisted upon precipitating war with Spain, the
 president responded with loyalty anc
 determination and the brief conflict
 was waged satisfactorily save for the
 usual dissension that always follows
 war. Congress was unanimous in pro-
 viding the president with fifty millions
 or dollars to be used in preparations
 for possible war and it was almost
 unanimous in declaring war and in put
 ting to quick passage . war revenue measure. There was no hesitation
 then, and the voice of congress was for
 war. The heat Of those days last spring did not extend further than the
 present, and no account was taken of
 what would naturally follow.
 Events now show that we have ex- pended many millions of dollars and that there will be tremendous deficit at the end of the fiscal year. Of course we have to pay for the war, and the actual service Of the army and navy
 was but a mere bagatelle and simply the beginning of the expenditure of many millions of dollars more Thus no surprise should be expressed that congress is now disposed to shout re- t1enchment in order to prevent q new ican. The popular demand is for the strengthening of the navy and for an increase in the army. We have also to pay out twenty millions of dollars f,O,, 7r-. r,f the Philippine es-and that is to us the only weak feature of the peace treaty to say nothing of the expenditure of millions more in cleaning Cuba and putting the people on their feet, while Porto Rico has also become a drain up- on cur treasury.
 As we look at these expenditures they may be taken as an investment to be paid back in the future in some way, either by the rev Cuban government or by revenues derived from Porto Rico As an incident of the war we are at considerable expense to settle our account there, the quickest and most effective way being the best. All these things are the natural outcome of the war, but we are equal to the emer- gency During the civil war of 1S61-65 we were sadly Handicapped fer money, but we managed to pull through and paid off much of our indebtedness while developing the country at marvellous speed. We are today better prepared t,} take up a new burden than we were in 1865 when the civil war ended and we found ourselves with a colossal debt on our hands
 We may have a big deficit at the end of the fiscal year, but it is not ID swamp LIS. It should rather stimulate us to greater energy than eve. We are not to be staggered with the out look today, when we remember what we accomplished in the reconstruction | days following the civil war.
 The necessity for building a Aship | canal through the isthmus and the wis dom of an ocean cable to Hawaii and | the Philippines is recognized, but even | the cost of those great projects would | not bankrupt us as a nation. They are | bound to come-if not at once in few | years. Congress may see fit to post pcne the canal and the ocean cable. but we must have them. Still there is no occasion for any fears for our inan- cial standing Millions of dollars rep resent much to the individual, but to 3 nation like this they do not count for so much. We are opposed to reckless extravaganza new, just as we were to nasty declaration of war. The conflict came, however, and we must take up the burdens we thus i'm posed upon ourselves. The result of the war warranted the striking of the blow
 We will come out all right, as we al ways have. There is no occasion for 'ear or for senseless bowling over the expense. We brought about the crisis md we should pay for it. That is all here is in it. We cannot shi~k our cb- f igations and we cannot refuse to per orm whatever duty comes to Us, r0 natter how costly or Lew unpleasant. $
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