The Washington weekly post., 1900-08-21
Administration Is Drifting
Into 1t, Says Mr.. Clayton.
OUGHT TO MARCH OUT OF CHINA
Instead of that the Indications. He Thinks,
Are thar Our Troops viii Remain on
Chiuese >Oii-Iuterest of the Common
People in Discussions Aheeting the Cost
OF Military Operations la the Philippines
aud Maintenance of the Military.

Two stalwart Alabama Democrats. stall
wart physically as well as politically.
chatted yesterday in the lobby Of the
Metropolitan Hotel. They were Repra-
entatiyes John H. Bankhead and Henry
d. Clayton, the former a prominent mem
Der Of the Committee on Rivers and Hsr-
bOrs, having just returned from a long
"trip on the great lakes. observing engi-
neering works there. and the latter hsv-
ing recently come from indianapolis.
where he was one OF the committee 20
notify Mr.. Bryan Of his nomination.
'NIr- Bankhesd and I have been COM
pairing our experiences in the Alabama
campaign" remarked Mr.. Clayton. who
is one Of the Insular Committee OF the
House. I'VE both did some work down
there, and we found our experiences were
alike in one particular. That was the in
terest Of the country people in the out
come OF our war with Spain. l talked <
great deal among the farmers of Alabama
and the plain country people. When / ur-
dertook 10 talk free silver to them I al
ways lost the interest OF my
audience. They yawned over that
topic. and would gradually slide
away from the meeting. But when
took up questions pertaining to our last
war, its cost in blood and treasure. our
operations In the Philippines, our plans
for Cuba and Porto Rico. the size OF our
standing army, and kindred topics. my au-
diences would sit and listen eagerly for
hours.
Can Not shelve Discussion.
There is no discounting the interest Of
the common people in those topics" con-
tinued Mr.. Clayton. Our Republican
friends may strive to shelve all such dis
cussion and TO force free silver TO the
front, but it won't work. We declared
war with Spain two years ago. and ever
since then We have been drifting along in
Porto Rico. Cuba, and the Philippines,
and the end is not yet. Our war in the
Philippines, which was a heritage of the
hosuiities with Spain, has already in
thirty months cost us SlS6, 600 600. and We
do not really know how many lives, be-
cause the authorities are determined not
TO let US know the truth. How many OF
our soldiers have come home insane from
staying in the tropical climate of those
islands? They tell US that the asylum a
st. Elizabeth's is full and overcrowded,
so much so that they are not able even to
administer the bath treatment prescribed
for those unfortunates who have lost
their minds in very hot climates At the
last session We voted over one million dol
lars TO enlarge that institution.
And when will the enormous expense
for maintaining an army in the Philip
pines cease? We are all convinced by
this time that 1t will require 100000 men
TO keep the islands in subjection for the
present. The Republicans cannot howl
down discussion of such topics. We are
paying out $40 co., 900 annually for pen
siOns during the civil war, an expense
That We are all willing 10 bear, but | do
not believe the veterans will approve on
Top of that sum an expenditure of many
millions annually for big army in those
Iar-dway Islands. 1t seems to me pre-
Dosterous to hope that these questions
can be kept out Of politics this year.
Our Troops in China.
Having taken the Philippines, we have
gone into China with our army and res
cued our minister, which was entirely
proper, but now that the rescue has been
we hear reports that even
more troops are TO be sent forward.
venture that our troops will not be with
lrawn from the Celestial empire, as they
ought to be Immediately. Our soldiers
will be kept there, and We will find our
selves drifting into Chinese complications,
Just as We have drifted into a heritage of
rouble in the Islands"
What pointers on politics did you
gather during your Western trip" Mr..
Clayton was asked.
81 talked with a number of people on
ny trip West" he answered, but they
we're people Of pronounced political con-
1ictiOns, either for Bryan or Mckinley"
"DO you expect that the next House
will be Democratic?'
THE next House will be Democratic"
asserted Mr.. Clayton. "and the next
President will be Mr.. Bryan"