Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-09-05
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1899
Washington letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

From our Regular correspondents
There seems to be no doubt in
Washington. among the presidents
advisers, that the house will sustain
the expansion policy OF he president
and endorse the gold standard.
Senator Spooner, who is by no means
an expansionist out a Republican to
the backbone, was in Washington
recently, and before leaving town
said: so far as the situation in the
Philippines and the annexation of
these islands are concerned, the presi-
Edent is not responsible for it as is
Eclaimed. When Dewey asked for
stroops to reduce Manila, the whole
country wanted them sent at once,
land even severely criticised the presi-
Ident because they could not be
lshipped Immediately. Not a voice
twas then heard against sending these
troops. No one seemed to foresee
that such occupation as then con-
templated would necessarily mean
more than the simple reduction of
Manila. Our troops could not sail
away after the city had been taken,
because it TRANSFERRED that the foreign
ers and even the citizens there needed
our protection. There has been no
time since when we could have with
drawn from the islands, and all that
remains now is to light the Filipinos
to submission as quickly as possible,
and then it will i4e the duty Of con-
gress to provide for their govern
ment."
The state department has been in
formed that Governor General Otis
has applied the Chinese exclusion
laws to the Philippine islands, for
the present. The Chinese govern
ment has acted as if it was not alto
gether pleased, but there is no dis
position to interfere with the discre-
ton Of the governor general, who
being on the ground, must necessari-
ly know the situation best. A re-
cent letter from Mr.. Williams, our
former consul at Manila, says that
the native Filipinos arc strongly OPP
posed to Chinese labor, and in his
opinion the exclusion of Chinese from
the islands would aid materially in
hurrying the war to close.
Now that the western and south
ern Democrats are reaffirming the
Chicago platform and demanding
free silver coinage at the specific ratio
of l6 to /, the opinion Is growing in
Washington that the Republican,
party viii show good political judg-
ment by pushing through congress at
the present session, measure MAX
ing gold the standard, such as is ad-
vocated by the president, and this,
it is believed here, will surely be done
THo Il L
ports showing that during the past
six months imports to Hawaii fro m
the United States increased $685.
ISL. At the same time government
receipts increased and expenditures
diminished.
The Treasury department is about
to adopt the policy of rigidly enforc-
ing the penalties provided for banks
found In possession of unstamped
checks or notes. Hitherto the COM
promises offered have been accepted,
the plea In almost every case being
inadvertence. But the practice has
not diminished, and now rigid policy
will be maintained.
Great pressure has been brought
to bear to secure the organization OF
n colored regiment for service in the
Philippines. If done, the field off
GERS would be white men from the regu.
lar army, but the company officers
would be colored men from civil life
President McKinley's speech to the
Methodists at Ocean Grove had the
right ring. He explained his Philip
pine policy as comprising, peace
first, then with charity for all, estab-
lish the government of law and