The sun., 1899-02-12
The New Democratic Policy Which Is
Old.

Upon the exchange OF the ratifcations Of
,fhe peace treaty all the volunteers and
also all Of the regulars enlisted for the war
will be in law entitled to their discharge
Unless the Army bill Is passed this would
reduce the army to less than thirty thou
sand men, and the remnant being unable to
hold the positions now occupied by them.
they would be in great peril. AoUINALDo, rs
is we'll understood, has proceeded with that
possibility in mind, and in Cuba such crimi-
nal neglect would give rise to dangerous
possibilities. ....
The Democrats In Congress, however, In
the Senate particularly. are scheming TO
bring about this very situation by holding
up the Army bill and preventing the pas
sage OF any measure for the maintenance
OF; our necessary military strength. 1t Is
inispirit disttnctively reasonable project
threatening both the honor Of the country
and the lives of its soldiers, and it would
seem to be too horrible for sane men to be
engaged in. But, all the same, the Demo-
erats are pursuing the policy deliberately,
as though determined to do all they can to
turn our victory in the war into q bloody
defeat.
That is, the Democracy OF to-day is plan
ming to revive the tactics adopted in 1854
when 1t sought to paralyze the efforts Of
the Union Army in the civil war. The
Democratic national platform Of that year,
adopted while the Union armies were ac-
tually fighting in the field. contained these
amazing declarations:
"ReioIrtd. That this convention does explicitly
declare the sense OF the American people. that
after four of failure restore the Union by tho
experiment Of war. during which, under the pretence
OF military necessity of q war power. higher than
the Constitution. tho Constitution itself has been
disregarded In every part. and public liberty and
private right alike trodden down. and the material
prosperity of the country essentially impaired JUS
tice. humanity. liberty and the public welfare de-
mand that immediate efforts be made for cessation
Of hostilitics. with view to ultimate convention
of the States, other peaceabo means to the end
that at tho earliest tcable moment. peace may
be restored on the basis OF the Federal union of all
the States"
That was square demand for cowardly
surrender Of the Union cause, for which
thousands Of patriotic men had lost their
lives. The Democratic party in 1864 ar
rayed itself against the Union armies,
firing ON them from the rear while they
were struggling with courageous enemies
In front Of them.
One Of the grounds on which LNcoLN's
conduct of the war was assalled in that plat
form, moreover, was thnt it had been
+" shamefully" negectful of the suffering
soldiers, more particularly those held as
prisoners of war by the enemy.
The situation, SO far as the Democratic |
party was concerned, was therefore very
similar in 1864 to what it is now. LINCOLN
was assailed as President MCKINLEY is as
sailed now, on tho pretence that he has |
neglected the troops. STANTON was the
target for Democratic abuse then; Mr..
ALaER is the target now. Seven months
after the adoption Of the Democratic plat
form Of 1864 the civil war, pronounced by
1t a failure" was brought to close in
complete victory. The war with Spain has
already closed after series of victories un-
in our history, almost unprece-
dented in the history Of war. Yet the Dem
ocratic party, as it speaks through its rep
in Congress, is substantially
calling it disgraceful failure, and In order
to justify the accusation it is scheming to
our power OF resistance in the
philippines and in Cuba.
After 1864 the people kept the Demo-
cratic party out OF national power for twen-
fy years, and they will repeat the exclusion
how for period as long, If the Democracy
permits itself to be made infamous by
leaders who are arraying it against their