Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-07-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
From Our Regular Correspondent,

Il
/. WAsHINGT ON, July 9Th, 1900.
Imperialism has received a blow
from an unexpected quarter. When
the administration began 10 order
troops sent from the Philippines to
China, Gen. Macarthur promptly
hled protest, saying that if the
troops were taken away from the
Philippines the Filipino revolt
would atonce be renewed Secretary
Root telegraphed for Gen. Otis to
come to Washington at once. he
came and declared that Macarthur
was right, and after a two DAYS con
ference, Secretary Root announces
that no more troops would be sent
from the Philippines to China. The
plain meaning of this is that it is
necessary to keep the big army we
now have in the Philippines, per
manently there in order to maintain
our authority over the Filipinos.
That is a little more than the most
rabid imperialists bargaiued for, aud
is certainly more than the people of
this country will stand for. What
possible benefit can we derive from
the Philippines that will compers safe
us for the expense IN money and
American lives that will be necessary
to keep an army of $4,000 soldiers
over there? 1t seems that the world
is about to witness the revival of the
era of the mercenary invading army
which was familiar to Europe a few
centuries ago. The other great civil
lied governments, including cur
own, have hired an army of Japan
to 60 to China and fight the Chinese,
and after the Chinese are licked into
humbleness, they are to be made to
pay back the money it will cost to
lick them, with psurious interest. 1t
is not considered honorable for an
individual to hire professional thugs
to obtain vicarious revenge upon his
personal enemies. What then makes
such thing honorable on the part
of nations?
Hon. Adlai +. Stevenson is the
only man ever nominated for vice
President who had previously demon.
strated his fitness for the office by
serving one term therein, and il eau
be truthfully said that no vice Presi-
dent was ever more popular than he
was. True, Mr.. Stevenson didn't
have much influence with the Presi-
dent under whom he served, but nc
body else bad either. Mr.. Cleveland
was not a President to recognize in
Huence and be seemed to make a
speciality of getting at outs with
leaders of the Democratic party. But
during those four years Mr.. Steven
son had and deserved the confidence
of the Democrats in Congress, and
lost no opportunity TO pusL party
interests that he could with propriety
have taken advantage of. Adlai
Stevenson is whole sou,ed good fel.
low, good Democrat, and in every
respect a worthy running mate to
Col. Bryan, and Bryan and Steven
son is IA ticket to win With.
If getting the other fellows half
scared to death be good politics, then
the Kansas City Convention must be
credited, with much good politics.
for the Republicans are a badly
frightened lot. They figured on "A
big Democratic fuss at Kansas CITY,
but found that instead of "A row, the
regular Democrats, those who called
themselves Gold Democrats in 1896,
the Silver Republicans and the popu-
lists are all enthusiastically support
ing Bryan and Stevenson and the
Kansas City platform. These ele-
ments, working tremendously togeth-
er, are believed, even by Republicans,
to be strong enough to carry the
country.