Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-09-12

tAA( ~ (0A WV 1
than eight millions for the year that
has Just closed. But this. diminution of
the annual surplus was brought about
designedly by the abolition OF the war
taxes in the interval between the two
dates. Since the close of the war with
Spain there has been no substantial
change in the rate of annual expendi-
lures. AS compared with the fiscal
year ending in June, 1901, for exam
pie, the fiscal year that has Just closed
showed a relatively small increase in
expenditure Excluding the canal pay
ment already referred to), while the
year previous showed a relatively
small decrease.
The prime reason why the expenses
of the government have increased of
recent years is to be found in the fact
that the people after mature thought
have deemed it wise to have certain
new forms of work for the public I'M
dertaken by the public. This necessi-
tates such expenditures, for instance,
as those for rural free delivery or for
the inspection of meats under the de-
partment of agriculture or for irriga-
ton. But these new expenditures are
necessary. No n would seriously
propose to abandon them. And yet it
is idle to declaim against the increased
expense of the government unless it is
intended to cut down the very expend-
itures which aus the increase. Do
our opponents grudge the %$50,o00,000
paid for the Panama canal? Do they
intend to cut down on the pensions to
the veterans of the civil war? Do they
intend to put a stop to the irrigation
policy or to the permanent census bu-
eau OF to immigration inspection? Do
they intend to abolish rural free deliv-
cry? Do they intend to cut down the
navy or the Alaskan telegraph system?
Do they intend to dismantle III coast
Notifications? If there is to be a real
and substantial cutting down in ma
tional expenditures it must be in such
matters as these. The department of
agriculture has done service Of meal
culable value to the farmers of this
country in many different lines. Do
our opponents wish to cut down the
money for this service? They can do
it only by destroying the usefulness of
the service itself.
The Philippines.
Our opponents promise independence
to the Philippine Islands. Here again
we are confronted by their i~rreconcila-
BILE differences of opinion among them
selves, their proved inability to, create
a constructive policy when in power
and their readiness for the sake of
momentary political e%xpediency to
abandon the principles upon which they
have insisted as essential. In their
platform they declare for independence
without qualification as to time, and
indeed q qualification as to time Is an
absurdity, for we have neither right
nor power to bind our successors,
while if there is any principle involved
in the matter it is just as wrong to
deny independence for a few years as
to deny it for an indefinite period. But
in later and equally official utterances
by our opponents the term self govern
ment was substituted for independ-
ence, the words used being so chosen
that in their natural construction they
described precisely the policy now be-
ing carried on. The language of the
platform indicated a radical change of
policy; the later utterances indicated a
continuance of the present policy. But
this caused trouble in their w ranks,
and in a still later although less formal
u%tterance the self government promise
was recanted, and independence at
some future time was promised in its
place. They have occupied three en-
tirely different positions within fifty
days. Which is the promise they really
intend to keep? If such ambiguity af-
fected only the American people it
would not so greatly matter, for the
American people can take care of
themselves. But the Filipinos are in no
such condition. Confidence is with
them a plant of slow growth. They
have been taught to trust the word Of
this government because this govern
ment has promised nothing which it
did not perform. If promised indie
pendence they will expect independ-
ence not in the remote future, for their
descendants, but Immediately for them