Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-11
1.-THE NEW ARMY BILL
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEMO.
CRATIC OPPOSITION.
Dfsfnclination to Meet Present and
Future Conditions Which Be-
set the Republic.

"The debates in the House and Senate
| on the army reorganization bill this session
| afford striking picture Of the disincl1na-
| ton OF the democracy as represented by
its leaders in these two deliberative bodies
to meet existing and future conditions
| which surround and confront the country
| and are an evidence, perhaps why the peo-
pie do not care to trust their fate in the
| hands of these men and others who would
succeed to the places of republicans were
that party deposed from power" said a
gentleman who attends and follows closely
each session of Congress to a Star reporter
| today.
| Democratic senators and representatives
have, as rule, made but slight opposition
| and have voted for with commendable con-
| sistency all naval appropriations, but at the
slightest suggestion Of an increase in the
| army they have been one man against
| it. These two protective and defensive
arms of country ought to be coexistent
In power, and are 80 in all countries but
| the United States 1t would appear strange
to any political and historical student that
| a satisfactory reason could be advanced
| why a great nation should foster one and
discourage the other. as 1t Is a commonly
| accepted fact that nations will and are apt
to war with one another at any time and
that the nation which is powerful in both
arms is the one which dictates peace or
| Wis VICTORIES.
| The Fear of the Bayonet.
'The fear of the bayonet does not exist in
this country outside Of the south, and now
| after thirty-five years Of peace, good will
and amalgamation. 1t would appear to an
| unprecedented mind that this fear should
pass from that section. Whatever else the
civil war did not settle it did settle once
| and for all that the United States are one
| and indtvisible, and no one portion thereof
Is to be or will be oppressed by military
| or other rule to the exclusion Of another.
| No one particular state section, there
| fore, has more to fear in this regard than
| another. The federal laws will be enforced
and upheld with equal impartiality in Maine
as in Mississippi, in New York as in Cali
fornia.
| I'm opposing the proporticnaly slight in
| crease in the regular army the democrats
| shut their eyes to existing and future con-
| ditlons, because they certainly are not un,
| aware of them. Their leaders are as cogni-
| zant of the unsettled international condi-
| tinns as the republican leaders, and they
| know. too, fully as we'll that at the conclu-
sion Of the Spanish war this country took
a position in the front rank of nations that
| cannot be receded from, and would not If
| 1t could be. Our obligations a nation
and our concurrent responsibilities have
been enhanced a thousandfold 1t matters
| not how men may disagree as to the dis
| position or the future of the Philippines.
| the one prominent, incoEtestible fact is
| lutte control and under the positive sover-
eighty of this country, and that the popular
sentiment today, as 1t was emphasized at
the polls last November, is that the insur-
rection must be first Subdued before future
policies may be outlined.
Inherent Democratic Weakness.
This sentiment was made materially
manifest by the silence and coldness with
which the remarks of Mark Twain were re-
ceived at the dinner Of the City Club in New
York when he referred to the polluted
flag. Mr.. Clemens is one of the most pop
ular Americans living, but his words were
not only resented on the spot, but 1t will be
many days before the echoes of resentment
cease reverberatng over the land. No
American may thus refer to his flag with
impunity thinking to escape censure. If not
actual condemnation. Yet one would be
slow in charging him with not being a pa
triOtc citizen.
The same sentiment is true with demo-
cratic opposition to the army bill. These
gentlemen are undoubtedly patriotic of in
tention, and would, no doubt. be among the
hrst to resist by arms an attack upon our
shores by foreign foe. War Is an unfor-
tunate thing. but 1t is at times Inevitable
and when it comes the weaker or less pre-
pared nation succumbs. One Of the inher-
ent weaknesses of the democratic party is
its refusal to realize present emergencies or
to take those Of the future into timely con-
sideration and this weakness has been
shown by the repeated inquiries on the auor
OF both houses Of Congress as to the 't1,Ira-
ton Of the time when the increase in the
army is to last forgetful that the future
alone may determine that question, and the
sound sense Of the American people NAV be
trusted now as 1t has been for over hun
dred years to pass upon this issue. The
United States has many times before col
lected and disbanded great arniss and 1t
is capable of doing SO again; and, as com
pared with these armies, the present army
is as a company to corps.
Changed Democrats to Republicans.
1T is this inherent weakness Of the party
this persistency of perpetual opposition to
material and national progress, with an in
ability to offer better remedy to meet our
national perpleXities, which has shaken the
hold Of tens Of thousands of democrats in
the party of their original faith in other
sections Of the country except the south,
and changed them into republicans and sup
porters of the administration There ia no
better evidence of the glorious trust in and
the f1xedness Of the republic than that our
people, who govern themselves, abandon a
party whose leaders in the Congress scent
and cry out a danger which is non-existent
and to the fear of which they, and they
alone, cling by reason of tradition and |
training.
THE United States must have an ade- |
quate army in time of peace as 1t will have |
a greater army in time of war. Democratic |
opposition but strengthens republican poll |
cies. The fear Of Imperialism was sneered |
at In November from the Atlantic to the |
Pacific. The administration Is but acau!es- |
cling in public sentiment in furthertng its |
policies In the upholding Of the honor Of the |
flag and the power of the nation. Retro |
gression Is contrary to our history and I'M
popular at home.
There Is absolutely fear in this coun-
try at large Of military aggression or of
bayonet rule. The solicitude of the demo-
Gratis at the Capitol in this regard is as alb
surd as 1t Is inconsistent. Their pretenstons
to safeguard the nation from the terror Of a
standing army originate from and are based
upon past conditions which will never In
all probability be repeated
1T may, from their standpoint be coed
politics which arouses this unnecessary an
tagonism, but il 1t emanates from motives
Of pure patriotism the least that may be
said is that 1t is mistaken patriotism, and
surely mistaken judgment of the people
at large