Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-11-29
THURSDAY EVENING NOV. 20, 1900.

the army establishment should be re.
garded one way by republ cans aud an
oiher way by democrats. Republicans
sustain the President in his Philippine
policy regardless of right, ofthe dangers
ofimperialism or of the cost or the mis-
erg Inflicted by it on the natives or on
American soldiers. Even those repub-
Trans who in private admit that the
government blundered into the war,
are Dot willing 10 Acknowledge 1t puo
llcly and do the square, manly thiog oy
allowing the Filipinos to govern the
country 10 which they were born ana
live on. They are willing to allow The
Mohammedans. polygamists aud slave
holders. -four or five millions, in number
70 govern themselves in their own
sweet way. The Filipinos, they pro-
pose 10 kill of until the rest submit.
To do this requires an army OF one
bundrsd Thousand meD, and as they
cannot foresee how lOrg that job will
last ey>-orjecs TO any Limitation
In the date of the service. Most OF the
leaders would like to have a large
standing army for other reasons. They
want the patronage AID the Increased
poser for the President. The railroad
presidents and many Of the corpora
tons who help to keep the republicans
in power want big sanding army In
order to deal with strikers summsrily.
None OF the republican leaders have
any sentimental regard for the old Con.
stitu,ion aud the old traditions of the
falhers. These OF the college professor
class who are bess acquainted with
our e rly history aud with the ideas
of the fathers have travelled in Europe
and are enamored OF tie British system
OF government. These people reD'
der q little lip service to The
names of Washington, Hamilton
J,derson aud Madison, but al
heart they are British. They have
ceased to be patriotic Americana
British examples, British precedepts, 6
colonial system and all the features anC
Incidents Of Empire have msgical ant
instantaneous effect on their minds
Putting all these thing together We fut
the republicans merely a unit for
large standing army as a part OF oul
system aud a step towards the new
government they are looking forward
t.. Many OF them would favor co.,
scription if necessary to get up thii
army.
The democratic creed is very difer'
ent and has always been so. The old
idea of the fathers of the government
was a small stsndidg army for peace
aud reliance on the citizen soldiers
and volunteers in case OF war. A large
army democrat justly regard as danger
Gus to liberty. 10 respect TO labor
troubles the democrats prefer to ex
haust all methods of Cancellation in
preference TO bsyonets controlled by
capitalists. The democrats also regard
the Philippine war as both a blundei
and a crime. They hold that it wal
wholly needless and grew out of an u
Just attemdt to deny to the FIlipinos the
very rights OF self-goverDments fol
which we had insisted in Cuba and tC
SECURE which We had gone to war with
Spain. The democracy OF the country
the conservative people Of the country
che real Christian element of the land
all want cessation OF blood.spilling 10
the Philippines. II the war is right
eous and necessary, then there is some
excuse for an army of oDe-hundred
thousand regulars. II 1t lacks either
Justice or necessity, then every proper
means should be employed to terminate
hostiities. A large army is need
except 10 carry out colonial. imperial
policy.
1t follows, therefore, that all genuine
democrats ought to vote against an in-
crease OF the regular army. II they
vote for 40 increase OF that army,
their political adyersaries will insist
thst the democratic party is committed
to the war. 1t is highly important not
only to the best interests of the country,
but to the party interests that the dem.
ocrstic party should stand together
irmly end oppose an increase of the
regular army. They should also, We
think, formulate some general PROPOSE
tion looking 10 pace upon the basis OF
the independence OF the islands under
an American protec crate and q suit
able provision for American interests.
There may be question possibly as 10
whether an opposition party is bound
TO offer substitute policy which they
would not have the opportunity to ad.
minister, but in the matter of opposing
scheme to run our regular army IN
from 5000 men to 100000 or up,
wards, to carry out policy involving
from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty millions of taxes per aunum, there
cannot be O doubt ss to the duty
of every democratic Senator and
Representative. The democracy can
-. ..,;.hort ;n;ury nd dianredjf afford