The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-09
STILL HUNTING FOR AN ISSUE.

STILL HUNTING FOR AN ISSUE.
Representative Zenor thinks the Demo-
Gratis in this State will gain two or three
congressman in the next election owing to
the administration Philippine policy.
THE Democratic party" he says, &" is MAX
ing record in Congress upon which We
can go before the people with confidence
in the result. / believe that the admins
tration's Philippine policy will furnish the
principal Issue in the pending congressional
elections The people are getting tired Of
the enormous appropriations incident TO
the Philippine policy. especially in view of
the fact that this expenditure promises
10 continue indefinitely" Mr.. Zenor is a
member of the national Democratic cam
paisn committee. and he probably reflects
the views of other members OF the COM
mittee regarding Democratic prospects.
other Democrats have recently expressed
the opinion that the administrations
Philippine policy would furnish the party
with the much needed. greatly desired and
long searched for winning issue. Editor
Watterson wired his paper a few days ago
regarding the Philippine issue that here
or hereabouts we have the paramount issue
for 1904" They seem to forget that they
made it the paramount issue III 1900 and
got beaten on it. The Kansas City platform
said: THE burning issue of Imperialism
growing out of the Spanish war involves
the very existence of the Republic and
the destruction of our free institutions We
regard it as the paramount issue of the
campaign" The people responded by re-
electing Mr.. Mckinley by an overwhelming
majority. A paramount issue that has
been PASSED upon and repudiated by the
people once ought not to b. a rcry at
tractive one for use a second time, and
telligence.
As Mr.. Zenor undertakes to particularize
as to the strength of the Democratic posi-
tion il may be worth while to examine his
claim. He says the people are getting tired
of the enormous appropriations incidental
to the administrations Philippine policy.
especially in view of the fact that the ex
penditure promises to continue indefinitely.
Whether the expense of putting down the
Instruction in the Philippines should be
considered enormous or not depends
largely on the point of view. The popular
vote in 1900 would seem to indicate that
large number of Americans think no ex-
pense too great for establishing the au-
thority of the government throughout it's
whole domain and unfolding the flag
wherever It has been once rightfully raised
But Mr.. Zenor seems to imply that the
Democratic plan of dealing with the Philip
pines would stop what he calls the ''enor-
nous" expense incident to the Republican
policy. 1t would not. 1t would neither stop
nor reduce expenses. The main difference
between the Republican and the Democratic
plan of dealing with the Philippines is that
one proposes to restore peace, establish
American rule and retain possession of the
islands. while the other proposes to re-
! linquish all claims TO sovereignty over the
islands. occupy and govern them until tine
people have established a government OF
their own and then recognize their indie
pendence. In reality the Republican plan
is the cheaper of the two. 1t will cost
much less TO go on and finish the work Of
/ pacification that is so nearly completed
and establish civil government on Ameri-
can lines than it would to inaugurate a
new policy by relinquishing our claims to
/ sovereignty over the islands and occupying
/ and governing them until the people should
/ establish a government of their own. This
/ view takes no account of the national hu-
initiation and disgrace OF admitting failure
/ in of the greatest works ever under
| taken by any government and of surren-
\ dering our sovereignty after it has been
/ finally asserted. 1t simply considers the
question of the relative expense of the Re
publican policy OF establishing civil gov
eminent under the American flag and the
Democratic policy OF establishing an indie
/ pendent government under the Filipino
/ flag. The Democratic scuttling plan not
only involves a policy of infamy, but 1t
would be more expensive than the Repub-
lican plan Mr.. Zenor's paramount. issue
will not win. If the Democratic party can
not find a better issue than this for the
next congressional elections and for 1901
| it is beaten in advance.