Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03
THE PRESIDENTS PERPLExITf

1
| that the President IL hating IN hnlsn'ns
his message. in order that he may oaso
tho section OF IL referring to the Phhp-
mines upon the latest news from Maniie'
which he hopes will announce compis'e
| collapse OF the rebellion.
We can we'll imagine that under any
! circumstances Mr. Mckinley Is going 10
find the Philippines section OF MS mes
sage a most difficult one TO wrestie WIN
| The Philippines war Is the admihistra-
TONS own political job, and It Is exceed
| ingly important 10 Mr.. Mckinney that no
| should be able to make a campaign docu-
| rneut out of what he shall tell congress
! about it's conduct. and the results that
have been achieved At first blush II
would seem that II he can assure Con-
gress that Aguinaldo has been smashed
and his forces dispersed that would be
all he could ask Viewed specifically
II would appear that he could claim this
was a vindicstion OF his policy.
But in his annual report Secretary-of-
War Root. in discussing the Philippines
question says that we shall be compelled
to face the practical necessity for pro-
viding for some increase in the regular
army. 1T IS manifest" adds Mr. Root
that however speedily the Instruction
in the Philippines may be quelled, we
shall be required to maintain fcr long
time In those islands a considerable force
to furnish the protection which the IN
habitarts are entitled to receive from US
and 10 maintain order among the savage
and semi-civilized tribes which still exist
I'm nearly every island" even II Agul-
naldo has been practically smashed, and
organized rebellion" put down, how Will
Mr.. Mckinley reconcile arrogation to
himself Of the eclat Of successful war
President. IN the face Of Mr.. Roots
view? 1t is evident that the Secretary
of War believes that after Aguinaldo has
been disposed of we may count on hay
ing for years the same experience in
aftermath of organized rebellion" that
Spain so frequently enjoyed. 1t is clear
that he expects that the disintegraton
Of the rebel chiefs army will be but
the sowing of dragons teeth, from which
will spring up a bountiful crop Of gueril-
las, the gathering Of which into the
folds Of civilization, or the embrace Of
death, will cost thousands Of American
lives, and wiring millions Of money from
the pockets Of the American people. If
the expectation of Mr.. Root and others
who have looked beyond the immediate
present in studying the Philippines pro-
blem shall be realized. our lest state in
our mission Of benevolent assimilation"
will be worse than our first
But. admitting that Mr.. Root and those
who think with him az TO the prospect
Of long-cOntinued guerillaism on tho
islands are mistaken. and that the Presi-
dent can confidently state that thu war
is over. the perplexty Of Mr.. Mckinley
in dealing with tho philippines section"
of his message will not have been mate
rally lessened. Mr.. Mckinley consented
10 the army blll' as a compromise. but
has never given up the hope of imposing
a big military establishment upon the
country. That IS a part OF his imperialis-
tic policy He has from the begin
ming of hostilities with Spain worked
the army influence in his own political in
terest. and the interest CT his party, for
all II was worth, and Mr. Roots recon-
mendations regarding the REORGANIZATION
of the army show that he proposes 10 90
work It TO the end. II possible. If the
smashing OF Agulnal1o means the brood
ing OF peace over The islands. how
will It be possible for Congress to Justify
before the American people a programme
Of militarism? Where viii be the ne
cessity for a big Standing army. except
to ovorawe the people at horac and make
military bureaucracy a political machine?
II there IS TO be n guerilla sequel
10 the passing Of AgTnaldo, Mr. Nc
Kinley has little to hope for in attempt
ing 10 vaunt himself as a conquering
President. If there is 10 be no such
sequel, there will be no excuse for pacing
in his hands the military power lie
so ardently desires, and of which he could
make such good use I'm advancing
the fortunes Of himself and his party.
So we find evidence that any way the
situation Is taken. ii Is going 10 be Off
cult for the President to crack the Philip
pine nut In his message without nash
ing his own fingers.