Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-05
WHAT WILL 1T ee7
Upon what Lines will the Political Issues
of the Next Campaign be Drawn.

Upon What Lines Will the BOltlcal Issues
of the Next Campaign be Drawn.
There has been some talk recently
OF a new alignment OF political parties.
The question OF territorial expansion
has caused something OF a break in
party lines in congress, and through
out the country generally there are
sharp differences OF opinion between
old party associates. The incongruous
spectacle OF Carnegie and Bryan, Gro
yer Cleveland and Senator Jones, Sen
ator Hoar and Senator Vest training
in company has excited the imagina-
tion of the political prophets, and they
have settled it to their own satisfaction
at least that the contest in 1900 will be
waged with expansion, or as they pre-
fer to call il, imperialism" as the
issue. On the other hand. Mr.. Bryan
still insists that free silver is the great
issue and that the cause OF silver is
stronger today than ever before.
While these wiseacres may be right,
one who is neither prophet nor the
son OF prophet has some difficulty in
with them. One who makes
no pretensions to possessing special in
sight relative to the future, is utterly
unable to predict from present condi-
tions anything whatever concerning
the issues on which the country will
a vida m tho oop,i,,c ,,cas;1ootiol oa,,,
paign. 1t looks now as though the
question OF expansion may be practic-
ally settled long before 1900 The
treaty OF peace will come before the
senate as soon as it convenes after the
holiday recess, and there is now little
doubt that it will be approved. A re-
will then be introduced by the
anti-annexationists declaring that the
United States do not intend TO annex
the Philippines, but assume control OF
them temporarily. and will remain in
control only until the natives shall be
able TO organize government OF their
own, or some other disposition OF them
~'h DN ~ 10 hOg bndJ SuCl
A resolution can pass both houses, and
Il it does it will not affect the outcome.
The government VIII be left in possess
sion, and will remain in possession, and
oy 1900 may be so firmly established
that it will be apparent to all that it
IAN not let go. American citizens will
nave taken up their residence there,
A american capital al have made in
7estments, and intere. will have been |
which will n.ake il difficult |
% cut the islands adrift. ,,.-.s e5oa1.
Is = .s.sed. Evenys have given the
lie to all the predictions of disaster
rom the adoption of the gold standard. |
The enormous increase in the produc-
ton OF gold, the fact now well estab-
Iished that there will be continued |
increase annually for at least some
years, the addition to the circulation
Of our own country OF two hundred mil
lions of gold from imports and OF large
sums from the mines, demonstrate that
there is no danger of deficient supply
and no danger that debtors will be
made to suffer through contracting
currency, while the fact that the nation
has close to hundred million dollars
owing to it from Europe and is prac-
tically creditor nation makes the
gold standard greatly TO our advantage.
Present indication are that the country
will greatly strengthen its financial
standing during the coming two years,
and as the people rejected free silver
two years ago when conditions were
much less favorable for gold, 1t is evil
dent that they will not reopen the
estion.-Grand Rapids Press.