The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-11-24
A Large Army and the Reason for It

ALarge Army and the Reason for 1t.
There is not a word in the Constitution an-
thorizing the maintenance OF troops except
for defense Except in time OF war twenty
FIVE thousand soldiers have been deemed SUI
6cient. That number was fixed many years
ago. when the whole western frontier was
manaced nv hostile indians. The Red Men
have become in measure civilized, ana 10
maintain order and care for government forts,
arsenals and other property ten thousand men
would suffice. In fact there have not been
ten thousand soldiers in this country for over
two years. 1t cannot be maintained that an
army for defense is needed in the Philippines.
There is nothing there to deiend-uness 1T be
TO defend desire TO rob the tilipinos OF
their right to freedom and selfgovernment.
Certainly the United States have no right or
title to the archipelago. 1t is true the United
States paid Spain twenty millions OF dollars
for the Philippines but Spain had no little TO
sell. We simply accepted the aid of the FIJI
ipinos TO drive the Spanish out, with AN I'M
plied. if not a certain and specific, promise OF
seleqoyernment. And when the Spanish
were driven out, what little authority Spain
had exercised was gone, and she had nothing
to sell.
No. it cannot be maintained that an army
in the Philippines is needed for defense. III
violation of the Declaration of independence,
we are there to subjugate people who are
struggling TO be free. We are there to coerce
a people whom Federal officers have de-
clared to be far more capable Of self-govern-
ment than the Cubans. We are there in vio-
lation of every principle for which the patri-
OTIS of 1776 fought; we are there IN violation
of the principle that all just governments de-
rive their powers from the consent OF the
Governed; we are there in denial OF all princl-
pie of justice. And, according 10 General
Macarthur, we are liable to stay there unless
the Hanna Mckinley Administration prom
ises the Filipinos self-government' The sixty
five thousand men he has he says must be kept
in the Philippines for an indefinite period.
The Filipinos struggled against Spanish rule
for two hundred years. Spain never prom
ised them self-government. They believe the
United States promised them that great boon,
and thew are not only contending for sover-
eighty but are resenting what they believe to
be bad faith. They fought the Spanish for
several hundred years to drive them OH tneir
soil How long will they fight the United
States toward which they have two grievances?
Gen. Macarthur believes indefinitely, and
that an army of sixty-fve thousand men lust
be maintained in the Philippines.
There are several reasons discernable why
the Mckinley party-not the Republican
party-desires to continue an indefinite strug-
Gle in an endeavor to extend authority over
an unwilling people, and to increase the army
permanently to at least one hundred thousand
men.
One is that a large army necessitates large
expenditures of public money. That neees-
states high taxation, and the Trusts want high
tariff that they may continue to exact excess
sive profits from the people.
Another reason is that the public debt, now
a half billion dollars greater than it was sew
eral years ago, may not be paid off. The ma
tional banking system is based upon public
debt, and should the debt be extinguished
the system would have TO give place to some
other SYSTEM And as the country expands
and grows the banking system must expand
and grow, and also must the public debt ex
Hha
ing law also places the issuance of currency
in the hands of the national banks. They
can contract it, and reduce values, or they
can expand it, and increase values. When
values are low the money dealers can pur
chase property at low prices, and they car
sell when prices are advanced. They cal
create panics and they can force the govern
ment 10 issue bonds 10 buy gold TO maintain th'
gold reserve. Practically all the large bank
of the country are controlled by Wall Street
When Wall Street speaks all respond.
Still another reason why large army
desired is to have government by injunction
to restrain and coerce labor by order Of Fed
eral courts, and sustain the courts by the
army. Labor shouted for Mckinley, but la
Dor may get its eyes open before his mex
term expires.
Thus the Trusts and the Money Power arr
be benefited by large army, large publ
expenditures, high taxation and an ever IN
creasing public debt. Added to these ar
the Commercialsts, the people who beliey
that by expanding our territory business
expanded.
The Trusts, the Money Dealers and th
Commercialists are the people who raised tn
millions that bought McKinley's election
There was no fear of debasement of the cui
rency of the country. That was only a bugu
boo to scare the people of small means seal
tered throughout the rural districts-peopl
who hold mortgages, bought with honestl
earned money. Thousands of these were lie
to belive the mortgages would Re paid in fit
cent dollars in the event of Bryan's election
The McKinleyites knew better, but their toe
must be reelected. Bryan, the man wit
fixed principles and fixed purposes; the ma
with a will of his own and determined courag,
the man who believed in government by tn
people for the people; the man who is oppose
to class legislation and government favoritisi
must be beaten at all hazards.
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