Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-29
THURSDAY..........JUNE29 20, 1899.
THEY ARE COSTLY.

Conquest, imperialism. and benevolent
assimilation" are costly Injuries. Ac-
cording to estimates Of the Treasury De-
partment. just given out. the government
expenditures for the fiscal year 1S99-from
July /, 1888 TO June 30, lSS9-will foot up
S6Oo.OOOO0O. The receipts for the same pc
Rod arc estimated. in round numbers, at
100000. Therefore, we have a deficit
Of 500 100000, which would be much
greater. save for the increased internal
revenue tax. This will be apparent when
Il Is stated that the internal-revenue re-
ceipts for the preceding fiscal year were
Sl71 10000. while this year. by reason Of
the war taxes they were $1OOO00,OOO more
The total receipts from all sources for
tho fiscal year. 1898 amounted to $4,000
600. leaving a deficit of $SSOcO 600. SO, in
the last two years we have piled up de-
felt of $l3S,O0O0O0. Since July /. 1898, our
military and naval operations in the Phil
ippines have coss us 500 OOOO 900. Add 10
this incidentals. and the $200O00O0 we paid
10 Spain for the privilege of taking her
far-Ilast trouble off her hands. and a rea-
sonabie estimate is thai. should HOSTILE
ties cease in Luzon tomorrow. before
paci1cation of all the island could be
come an accomplished fact. we would
have been out of pocket $500 0O0.OOO for
that item and purchase money alone.
But there is not the slightest posi-
Billy that hostilities will cease for some
months. nor is there any question that
when they do cease it Will not be until
after We have heavily reinforced Otis,
and consequently augmented immensely
the expenses of our operations. Again.
General Otis, in his report % the War
Department on the situation and condi-
tion5 in the Philippines. admits a big
and steadily advancing percentage Of
sickness among our soldiers. This means
aside from the claims OF the dependents
of the killed and the claims Of the wound
ed, pension-list which at present no
man can calculate. Ii means a pension
list that must increase proporiionately
with the size of the army it may be
found necessary to assemble on the is
lands. 1t is self demonstrating that the
larger General Otiss force, the greater
will be the number Of men whose sys-
ems will be wrecked by disease 1t fol-
lows therefore, that the grand total cost
Of the three luxuries mentioned. ana the
grand total of the taxation it will take
TO pay II. are matters of the future and
Of speculation.
AS We have frequently said, the end Of
the war, come when it may, must en-
brace a triumph OF American arms and
the preservation Of American prestige.
We cannot afford anything less. Yet this
necessity does not mitigate the sin of
those who brought about conditions that
created IL. Nor does il do away with the
fact that Mr.. McKinley's policy of forci-
Bile annexation involves criminal Az
erosion" upon the pockets of the people
1t does not relieve the masses Of the duty
to themselves and the country OF punish
ing the aggressors by hurting them from
power. 1t does not remove from them
the obligation TO return the Democratic
party TO power and thus prevent the
aggression's being carried beyond the
close or tho war, with the result OF
fostering militarism, menacing popular
liberty. and endangering the very founda-
lions OF our institutions. Whether the
war shah have ended by that date or
not, the opportunity to perform the duty
and discharge the obligation in question
viii be presented at the next presidential
election, and every considerations ol
patriotism and loyalty 10 principle de-
mands that the Democratic leaders lose
no time in arousing the people 10 an