Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-04-13
NOTES FROM washington
Fresh Items of Interest on Impor-
tant Issues for Democratic
Readers.
SHORTCOMINGS OF THE ADMINISTRATION
Porto Rico Protection of the Con-
stitutiOn Democratic Protest
Against Imperialism Militarism
Decried by the People.
Especial Correspondence


Especial Correspondence
Gen. Otis is coming home broken in
health and with the cheerful prospect
of facing a storm of criticism from
the people of the country. Emphasis is
put on the idea of continued military
government in the Philippines, by Nc
Kinley's plan of dividing the territory
into four military departments, with
general at the head of each.
Otis has been accused of various de-
grees of incompetency, and perhaps
has merited much of the unfavorable
criticism, but the democrats do not
lose sight of the fact that Otis was
merely the agent of the administration.
He was carrying out campaign
planned in Washington. II he was not
able and efficient, the responsibility
still rests with the administration for
not selecting some commander who
was.
The republicans are saying as little
as possible about the Philippines these
days, but it is evident that the islands
are by no means in state of subjuga-
ton. The sick soldiers are to be cleared
out of the hospitals around Manila and
sent home so as to leave room for the
great increase in the sick list which is
expected as soon as the rainy season
sets in.
While of course the administra-
ton likes to give out the impression
that the "insurrection" is over, yet
it is not considered advisable" to less
en- the forces in the islands. In fact
it is whispered that more troops may
be needed if the Mohammedan sultan
of Sulu should happen to become re-
bellious, while the 10000 troops in the
islands are still occupied with the
Christian Filipinos in Luzon and the
neighborhood.
Democrats in the Next House.
Representative Richardson, chair
man of the democratic congressional
committee, speaks very hopefully in re-
gard to the democratic chances for
capturing a majority of the next house.
He says: ''The congressional commit
tee holds frequent meetings. Its plans
are being developed unG very active
campaign will be carried on in a score
of districts, where it will only require
us democratic congressman instead of
Luc PTcScAC
The Ohio Republicans.
The Ohio republican convention,
which renominated Representative
Grosvenor, adopted a resolution in re-
gard to the administrations attitude
toward Porto Rico, which is rather sig
nificant. It is regarded in Washing
ton as foreshadowing the republican
campaign explanation of the failure TO
extend the protection of the constitu
ton to that island.
Gen. Grosvenor managed to get his
constituents in convention to declare
in substance that they favor tariff
between Porto Rico and the rest of the
United States, in order Ito protect the
labor and industry of the people of
the United States from unjust compe
tition.'
Those same Ohio republicans, in their
desire to support congress and the aG-
ministration, probably forget that this
same, congress proposes to pass Ha-
waiian bill which will allow unrestrict-
ed immigration of Cinnamon into this
country for year after passage of the
bill. How will they square that with
protection to labor and industry of
the United States?' Representative
Grosvenor is very jubilant over his sue
cess in explaining the whole Porto
Rican muddle to his constituents, but
the democrats are of the opinion that
if this is the only defense the republic
ans have, it is a very weak one and will
hardly appeal to intelligent voters.
Protest Against imperialism.
Speaking of the competition between
Ill e - \ IL
Philippines with that of the United
States, Chairman Jones, Of the demo-
cratic national committee, points out
that the democrats are only for free
trade with those islands inasmuch as
it is one of the incidental and necessary
features of the possession of such ter
ritory by the United States, just as
free trade between the states is neces-
sary, under the constitution The dem
ocrats have, however, from time to
time pointed out to their republican
brethren who are daft on the ques-
ton of Imperialism that the acquisi-
ton of the insular possessions brought
with it very grave questions affecting
the industrial conditions of this coun-
try, and that the party which stood for
imperialism must take the conse-
quences when the people had an oppor-
tunity to express their opinion of the
matter. 1t looks now as if the protest
against Imperialism and its attendant
evils is gathering strength every day.
Money for Milftarism.
The army. appropriation bill is be-
fore the house. 1t asks for a total of
nearly $4,000, 900 for the fiscal year.
The bill is very long and involved. 1t