Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-09


imperial policy Is calculated to change
completely. In other words, because
OF the supremacy of the Monroe Doc
trine and its recognition by the world
abroad we have little use for an army
on American soil, ne is enabled to send
that army almost bodily to the other
side of the world, to strike the first d.
rect blow ever aimed at the Monroe
J Doctrine President Mckinley would
destroy the very conditions that per-
NIT him to pursue his dangerous and
unAmerican policy in the Philippines
with comparative impunity, for the time
being, at least.
The military situation is worthy OF
careful study. We are told that when
all the reinforcements of regulars and
volunteers for the Philippines shall
leave these shores for those Asiatic is
lands there will be left in the United
States but ONE REGIMENT AND
TWO BATTALIONS OF INFANTRY.
This important fact is already excit-
ing comment in financial centres and
will undoubtedly be used to bear Sc
curities including those of the govern
ment That no apprehension to amount
to anything has been manifested, how
ever, even in the security markets is
simply an eloquent tribute to the abid-
ing faith the American people have in
the stability of those institutions at
which the President is aiming this dead
ly blow.
What other great power on earth
could thus remove from its territory
practically every vestige of military
protection and depend for protection
solely upon the patriotism of its peo-
pie and its natural and traditional iso-
lation from the other powers and their
affairs? Yet it is this time honored
policy of non-interference in the af
fairs of other nations as erystalized in
the Monroe Doctrine that Mr. Mckinley
would reverse.
been supreme in the Western Henri
sphere without the exercise of any mill
tary power or the maintenance of even
standing army of any but nominal
size But how long will this be true if
we break down our own best and
strongest safeguards? AS soon as we
adopt the imperial and military poll
cies of the Old World in one instance
we must adopt it in it's entirety. There
can be no escape. And by the same act
we throw overheard the Monroe doc
trine
Doubtless for years to come under
the present policy of the administra-
ton there must be maintained an army
of 100000 men in the Philippines, to
say nothing of the large number of
troops required to hold and preserve
order in our other possessions and
Cuba. At every point of the compass
we will be in danger of those foreign
entanglements our forefathers warned
us against and of the imminent posi-
bility of war. In fact, in this respect
we will be in exactly the position Of
the military nations of Europe and
must be constantly prepared, as they
must be, to meet emergencies with
great military establishment-som
thing tc incompatible with our
tradition icy of peace-for then
we will be & land grabbing nation, a
nation of force and imperial conquest,
and we must stand ready to enforce that
piratical policy and protect our pos
sessions with the mailed hand.
We are seeing what militarism-the
aristocracy of shoulder straps-has
done for France. We have an example
now in the Philippines of the ruthless
tyranny of a military press censor
ship, which denies that the people have
any rights which the military power
need respect This is but the entering
wedge, the first outcropping of what
the American people have to expect
under the imperial and military policy.
Suffice it to say, there is no greater en-
envy of republican institutions.
The administration is now fairly
launched on the imperial policy, and
the farther we go in that direction the
worse we are bound to fare.
Is it not time to call halt?
The yellow fever situation at Key