The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-02-21
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in
General About Wash
ington.
WASHINGTON.
Feb. 18th. 1902.
(Cornnunicatedl.

Senators in prolonging the debate
on the Philippine question until
all had time TO fairly express their
opinions on the subject has been
justified in the divergent interests
which are beginning to manifest
themselves on the Republican
side of the chamber In the face
of the testimony of Governor TAFT.
and of the contentious of he Re
publican Senators that the Fill.
pinos are contented with the exist
ing state of affairs. there has
been received petition from the
Federal party in the islands,
signed by 200.000 of the more
prominent citizens, requesting
that the islands he made an in,
tegral part of the United States
and given territorial form of
government. This. of course, is
not at all in line with the Re
publican designs but it has pro
duced considerable effect on the
more conservative members of the
party who are beginning to
realize that their colonial policy
is impractical and that unless
they accord the FilipinOS terri
torial rights and hold out to them
the prospect of ultimate citizen
ship. they are likely to have a
continuous inSurrection on their
hands and one that will increase
rat her than diminish. With Sena
tor Foraker urging reduction of
- per cent of the Dingley tariff
rates and Senator Mitchell de
manding a reduction of 80 per
cent, the outcome of the present
bill is hard to predict but what.
ever the Republicans determine
upon they have the strength to
carry. a more serious contest
will be precipitated, howe> er,
when the Philippine government
bill comes up for consideration.
1t is something of commem
tary on Republican diplomacy
that, while he administration is
endeavoring to establish cordial
realtious with the FilipinoS and
inspire in them respect for Ameri
can institutions. Governor Taft
is teStiiying in Washington that
they are "a lazy, indolent people
incapable of performing jury
duty" or determining questions of
justice. OF course. the press of
the island publishes these state
mentS and doubtless the people
will be fiattered into an imme,
diate appreciation of the Ameri-
can sense of justice, quickness of
perception and keenneSs of judg
ment.
To a close observer, the trend
! of the government toward colo
nilism, entangling alliances with
foreign powers and the attendant
naval and military development
is necessarily a source of anxiety.
The sentiments expressed in the
Senate lobbieS when the news of
the Anglo Japanese alliance was
made known were more than
straws in their indication of the
direction in which the country is
drifting. The military strength
of the country, already weakened
by the distant possessions which
must be protected in time of war,
must now he augmented and the
country placed on the highway to-
ward standing army and navy
that can compete with the Euro
pene nations into rivalry with
which we have entered in the new
struggle for colonial possessions
and aggrandizement. AS is well
known, the efforts of our dele
gates to the Pan American Con
gress were hampered by the belief
of South American countries that
this government regarded them
with covetOus eye. The fear was
ridiculed by tie press but on Fri.
day a memb ber of the Senate Com
mittee on lnteroceanic Canals
stated that permanent ownership
of the land through which the
Panama Canal might be built was
unimportant, as long before the
200 year lease would have expired
this country would ''own all that
territory"
Opposition to this tendency
found voice in the House on Fri
day when Mr.. Wheeler of Ken.
tucky made a violent attack upon
the administration for its policy
in regard to foreign nations and
royalty. Had the gentleman's
speech been little more carefully
prepared and had he omitted some
expressions to which he was doubt.
less led by the excess of his feel.
ings, the address would have
proved more effective. Under
lying the somewhat extravagant
language he used was the stratum
of great truth.
Since the passage of the ma
jority Interchangeable bill by
the House, that body has been
engaged in the consideration of