The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-06-15
Don't Shirk RESPONSIBILITIES.

OF course President Mckinley is a
good man as far as he goes. The trou-
BILE is that he does not go far enough
and that goodness is not the "stuff"
called for in career of expansion or
The great conquerors of the
world have not been remarkable for
goodness nor specially inclined to hide
their light under half-bushel by push
ing out strategy-boards and commits
sions in front. Feeling their sufficien-
cy they have not sought advice and
were impatient of any interference with
their plans.
The goodness" of our administra-
ton sufficed the picnic affair with
Spain, and is really helpful in the at
tempt to down the Cuban and Filipino
with platitudes and generalities. But
this goodness finds itself powerless be-
fore determined opposition in the Phil
ippines and would find itself altogether
swamped in any serious European en-
tanglement; and something stronger
must take its place if we come out with
that great prestige" which it is said
expansion will give us.
The administration just now is dem
onstrating It's incapacity to cope with
serious conditions, and its willingness
to conceal that incapacity, by pushing
General Otis to the front. Gen. Otis
is to say how many troops will be need
ed in the Philippines, and if an under
estimate is made and the war indef-
nitely prolonged resulting in Europe
an complications for property destroy
ed and interrupted commerce, General
OTIS will be to blame and not the adj
ministration. And it is said Mckinley
hopes the report will be, no more troops
needed, for to call out the 50, 900 volun-
teers might have bad effect with the
people in the nominations that are COM
ing on apace and on the elections this
fall. The administration, however,
might prolong its view by asking what
effect continued disastrous war will
have on the election in 1900?
But really, ought not the question to
be, does the interests Of this country
demand that more troops be sent to the
Philippines?
The administration should know
much better how to answer that ques.
ton than Gen. Otis, and hiding behind
the General will not serve the purpose
If the administration ever knows the
conditions and requirements in the
Philippines it knows them now as vel
as General Otis and both know as vel
as they will ever know till they fight i
out and see The strong presumption
seems to be not only the 30, 900, but
many other thousands will be needed
to bring the war to speedy and sue
cessful ending. We know the troop
Gen. Otis has had and what he has &C
complished. 1t is said these are nov
to retire to Manila, establishing tn
prediction of the Spaniard who ha
been there before that we would gail
the battles but lose the campaign. W
have here very good base for compu
tation; the country occupied and tn
troops required to do it, OF the 600
irregular and regulars which Gen. Oti
will soon have it is safe to say one hal
will be dead or unfit for duty at tn
end of the rainy season, leaving hiI
then no more troops than he has had i
the campaign now ended. And Wi
these regulars or any other troops fgl
as have the Western volunteers? Eve
English journals predict that our troor
later on will fight with less rush" an
enthusiasm.
How many troops General Otis wi
need, of course depends on what he
expected to do and on what time he
, given to do it in. Oh, says some onC
he is to subdue the Philippine insul
gents. Well, how much is he to sui
due them aud when? Is he, during til
, next "dry" season, to over-run th
D whole Archipelago, sea coast, mouI