The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-15
ExPENsIyE HopEFULNEss.

EXPENSIVE H0PEFULNESS.
Gen. Macarthur is Of the same sanguine
nature as his predecessor. He foresees
the complete ending of the insurrection
now prevailing in the Philippine islands.
OF course the ending has been foreseen
before Gen. Macarthur. and, indeed, has
been accomplished; but the complete end
ing-that is another matter entirely. i. It
is the entire suspension of hostilities
which Gen. Macarthur forsees.
What delightful contamination 1t will
be when the entire suspension of hostili-
ties is secured. Then there will not be
even a solitary insurrecto to disturb the
peaceful tenor of the peace commission,
and the native cock fight can go on I'M
abated, leading national sport and in
dustry.
There is one popularity about the
progress of peace proceedings in the
Philippines which is worthy of note.
successive surrenders, the quantity of
ammunition and supplies and the number
of guns which are handed over to the
military authorities of our country from
time to time are enormously large. Con-
sidering that as far back as the early
days of Gen. Otis control, the country
was assured that the insurrectos were a
mere mob, without munition of war,
provisions, clothing or any other of the
in the field. the extent Of the capture
and surrenders of military supplies which
have been accomplished since then is
really astounding.
Col Simon Tacson, seven officers, sew
enty-one soldiers, 1000 rounds of ammuni-
ton, surrender Internationally" Such is
Gen. MacArthur's latest announcement
Eight officers and seventy-one soldiers
Not quite nine soldiers to each officer!
cord with the prevailing understanding
of the native love Of authority But
even with the 1000 rounds of ammuni-
ton, is there enough in the circumstance
to warrant the expenditure of the money
necessary to pay for the transmission by
cable Of the intelligence? There may be;
but, can it be that there is enough in
it to justify Gen. MacArthur's assur-
rance that entire suspension of hostllities
is in sight?
The present congress is about to adj
journ. The opening of the new admins
tration will bring a new epoch IN ma
tional discussion. The record OF i'm
| providence which the passing congress
leaves behind it is unparalleled in the
history of the country. Not alone by
reason of the expenditures for the pur-
| poses of a war which is being brought to a
| final close on an average of twice q
month, but for the ordinary uses OF
government, are we pouring out the ma
tional substance with a recklessness
without limit 1t is all, in some meas.
ure greater or less, the necessary out
come Of the war fever which has beer
so seduIously cultivated. We have nov
expended in money alone more than the
Philippines are worth to the American
people or even to the natives, on the
highest estimate ten times over, W.
| will perhaps expend as much more be
fore we have sense enough to turn the
control of their domestic affairs over tx
those people, or get rid Of them alto
gether 1t is fun no doubt for the army
contractors and the promoters generally
who swarm around the administration
but before the coming congress has long
passed out of existence it is safe pre-
diction that there will be an end reached
of the bloody and expensive comedy, i
not by the action of congress itself. the1
by the declared purpose of the American
people. The childish phase of the love
of military pageant has passed.