The daily morning Alaskan., 1899-12-12
WHAT WILL ITS POLICY BET

The minority plrtv In the present con- gress will be far more important factor than it was in the last congress on account Of the tact that the parties are now so nearly evenly divided in point of numbers The majority will have a hard time to always maintain a quorum of itS own members. lt Is doubtful on account ot the sentiment prevailing amongst a large iae- tion of the republicans In the extreme east If the party will be able to muster a ma iority on all the questions growing out Of the Philippine war. This being true, there will be opportunity for wise leader ship on the part of the democrats tn con gress Co do much good for the country at large, but there will also be opportunity to do ireparable injury. Whether the dem ocratS will content themselves with mak- ing all the legitimate campaign capital possible from republican mistakes or whether it will be merely party Of ob- s,uction remains Co be seen. lf the latter. thev can retlrd, possibly prevent, the en' aetment of legislation providing adequate means for the government of our new pos sessions and otherwise hamper the govern ment.
 The present congress will have much por,an' work to do. There will be gov enmentS to establish for Cuba. Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines, the army must be permanently enlarged and the means. provided for a continued increase Of the navy. No one will find fault with the democrats if they question the policy of :he majority at all times and compel it to set forth ln clear terms proofs for itS facts, and reasons Tor itS propositions. but the country will not excuse a SenSeleSS opposition Co anything the republicans propose just because it emina,es from the republicans.
 In the last congress it was proposed to incre,se the regular army to 100000 men. This was defeated .by the action of dem Ccrltic senators, who compelled the liml- tltlon of Such an army to three years. This matter will come up again during the present session of congress. While there is no denying the evil effects of large standing army. unluestionlblv the time will nJt come again. if ever, when 2S,ooo soldiers will be sufficient for our purposes. With the acquisition of Hawaii, our West lntln islands, the Philippines, Guam and Tutuila. comes the necessity of larger army. l. Is eStmatet that 10000 men should be held in the Philippines alone. Grsnt the fact that the army must be con tinued at a greater strength th zs,ooo, it IS obvious that the good of the service wi ] be promoted by fixing ( at approximately ltS final numbers at aS early a date as possible. While no one will find fault with the democrats Tor keeping the regular army as Smlll as possible, the people will will not be encouraged to place a high eSti- mate on their patriotism lf they continue the nonSensital oppo itlon to an increase as led by Senator German in the last con gfeSs.
 Large appropriations should De made 10 increase the navy along lines suggested by our late eXpefience.
 With expansion has come broader field for Americans in the aff ,irs of nations. The United States Is concerned to as great an extent in AsialIe affairs as any other nation. and our interest ln those Oriental questions that are now accupvlng the at tention of diplomats Is greater than any other nations. lt would be as futil- to att tempt 10 turn back the Niagara as 10 attempt to keep the United States from participating in the affairs of nations. To- day the United States Is included when the powers Ct the worlI are referred to and our country will not retrograde. Pro- greSs Is the watchword. win the dem ocratS in congress recognize this factl Win thev, accept conditions as they arc, or will they like Canute. command the tide to stand still2