Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
IFTom our Regular COT 6apoIlu6IlG.
WAsn1NGTnN. .Inlv 81. 189

Have we. IS people, anything TO gain by
Joining hands with Great Britain in a Napoleonic
policy Of world conquest Although the admin
istration is at present carefully concealing any
disposition it mey have to enter upon such a
policy, the disposition is believed to exist, and
that question may become leading one in ncxt
years Presidential campaign In diplomatic
circles II is believed that the first steps towards
such policy have already been taken' and that
the Suspension of Dr.. Bedl@, as 0. S. Consul ut
Canton. China. at the request of the government
OF China, is one Of them, although it is stated at
the State Department that the suspension OF DR..
Bedle was brought about by some irregularity
in connection with his issuing papers to an
American vessel engaged in supplying arms and
ammunition to the Filipinos and in issuing GER
tifieates TO Chinese merchants trading with the
Philippines.
The present attitude of greatness occupied by
the U S. was attained by following from the
days of Washington policy Of strictly attend
ing 70 our own affairs and leaving the people OF
other nations to do the same. The glamour of
foreign conquest has turned the head Of the
people of other nations many times in the past
and few months ago there appeared to be
danger that the Americans would be blinded by
the same glamour, but the common sense Tor
which Americans are renowned, has come tothe
rescue. and our people are realizing not only the
meaning, but the danger Of the adoption OF an
imperialistie policy by the u s., and present in
dications are that that realization will result in
a restoration Of the Democratic party to power,
and a resumption OF the only safe foreign policy
for this government to follow.
Men who at the beginning supported the ex-
pansion policy of the administration, are now
severely criticising the results obtained by fol-
lowing that policy. For instance, the Washing
ton Post, which has to all intenls and purposes
been an expansion sheet. says editorially:
EITHER we have not the genius and the tempera-
ment for successful colonization, or We have
been grotesq1ely unfortunate in the selection of
our agents It is impossible TO see at this
moment where and in what respect we have &C
uomplished anything important either in Cuba
or in the Philippines. In the latter we have
undertaken to set up the regime OF law and
order and civilization, and we have failed utterly
In the case of Cuba we have undertaken to give
the people self-government, or at least to test
their capacity in that line, and we have done
neither In the Philippines we have for six
months or more been engaged in petty and
perfectly fruitless war with the natives. In
Cuba the government consists of a military
antocracy, little if any more benefcent than
that conducted by the Spanish Governor Gen
erals in times of peace. In Luzon it is actual
war we have upon our hands. In Cuba, it is
smouldering discomfort. turbulence in various
parts of the island, and a fabulous and feeble
tyranny at HaTsna -
Two designs for the new IS silver Certificate
one having upon its face vignette of Washing
ton, and the other one of Jefferson, have been
submitted to Secretary Gage It is said that
Republican Senator heard about this and at
once hurried to see Secretary Gage to tell him
not to adopt the jefferson design, because, if he
did, it might become known as a Democratic
note. Be that as it may Treasury officials say
that the jefferson design is not likely to be
adopted.
The prediction that all of the IS, 600 volunteers
authorized by Congress would be enlisted, has
been almost verified. An order for the enlist
ment of one more additional regiment which
viii bring the number of volunteers nearly up
TO the limit, has been issued by Secretary Root
and the new regiment viii be composed Of
negroes. The officers viii, of course, be white
men.
Notwithstanding the statement OF Secretary
Gage tina; the Treasury would be able to meet
all of the expenses Incidental to the large
army we are preparing to send to the Philippines,
in addition to other governmental expenses, with
out asking Congress to impose new war taxes or
issuing more bones. expert financiers who have
carefully studied the matter. and whose opinions
are not influenced by political exigences, still
predict that more bonds or more taxes will be
necessary, and when it is remembered that there
was a deficit of 0,0O0.00J in round figures at
the close Of the last fiscal year, the prediction
seems reasonable. 1t may also be mentioned
that special agents of the Internal Revenue
Bureau are known to have been engaged for
months in investigating the working of the
various stamp taxes, presumably with an eye to
more Congressional legislation in that direction.