Arizona republican., 1899-06-12
AN UNLIKELY ISSUE
Territorial Expansion Will
 Be Taken Out Of Politics.
While a Majority of D. moCrafs Will Likely Oppose inc EdminLSsra-
  lions Views They Will Not Be Solid.

Washington, June 11.-(Special)- The outlook is not altogether favor
 able to territorial expansion surviving
 as an issue n the next national cleo 1 ton. There is at present no safe as- sumption as to what congress will do
 with respect to ths Philippines. That
 they will not be turned adrift IS cer- tain enough. but beyond that there is doubt Whatever action is taksn can
 not be strictly on party lines, and in all probability the question will be settled before the next campaign cpsns, and, therefore, cannot be a
 live issue.
 The republicans have but thirteen majority in the next house. There
 will be some republican opposition to the permanent possession of the
 Philippines, and 1t is too early now to
 determine what numerical strength
 this opposition will posssss. IL may
 amount to no more than three or four votes, CT 1t may reach as high as ten. With so small a republican majority, seven aGti-expansiOn republican votes would defaat a measure looking to tha retention Of the islands if the demo- crats were lined up uritedly ;n support of MT. Bryan's position on the sub ject It is not improbable that thsre may be as many as seven republicans who will vote against expansion. But however many there may be a larger number of democrats can be depended on to vote with the administration
 The prospect is, therefore, that the question will De settled by 3 mixed vote, taking itlout of the list of strict-
 1y party questions. It IS recognized that there will be a Vsry strong dem ocratic vote from New York in favor of expanion. 4 majority Of the demo- crats from that state, it is believed will vote that way, and it IS possible that nearly all of them willl since the Tammany influences are generally favorable to expansion. Pennsylvania too, is likely to furnish democratic votes on the same side Of the ques- ton.
 If this ended the matter the question might still have 9 partisan tinge from the fact that the democrats from thosa states, with but few exceptions, are not altogether in accord with the party on Other issues, and the differ ence on this would not count. But there is an expansion sentiment in the south and not an incoasiderabie number of the democrats from that section who believe in Bryan and free silver will probably vote to retain the Philippines. How many democrats, all told, who will vote this way there is now no means Of knowing but it is pretty certain that there will be enough to take a partisan character out of the question, especially in view of the prospect Of some republicans voting with the majority of the dem ocrats in sympathy with the New 'ant-ilcper
 The failure of the democrats in their effort at the last session of congress 1 to adopt a rule making the party | caucus binding upon members Of the party is favorable to the division Of | the party on this question. If that | rule had been adopted some members ! might be relied on to yield their per ! so1al judgment to the orders of the | caucus, and whether they did So or not the position taken by a party 1 caucus under such 3 rule would be the | party position, and would give parti- san character to any question acted on in caucus.
 The utter failure of democratic cau- refusal on the final test to adopt rule which would actually bind will prob ably discourage eforts to secure eau gus agreements among democrats in he next congress. It is not regarded as probable, therefore, that they will caucus on the Philippine question.