The record-union., 1898-11-26
THE ANTI TI-IMPERIALISTS" TAKE
TO THE FIELD.


An organization headed by Edward
Atkinson, the well-known political
economist and statistician, and TO
which Andrew Carnegie has contributed
$4,000, has been formed to combat
what is termed imperialism" that is,
TO cultivate public sentiment in oppo-
sition to, retention of the Philip
pines or other new possessions. An
address has been issued to the Ameri-
can people, and petition to the Presi-
dent, in accordance with the purpose of
the society, which appears to be Wig
prous and aggressive in it's movements.
The address starts out with the prop
osition that whatever islands We take
must either be annexed or held in
FaSsalage." This is an error Of pre-
mise. It does not follow that one or
the other condition shall obtain. We
may hold new possessions without an
nexing them, and yet without any en-
slavement of the people. On the con-
trary, the plan which we believe has
aargest measure of favor with the Ad-
ministration is to refuse to return to
Spanish misrule and cruelty any groups
of peoples we have freed. and yet to
prevent them falling victims to inexpe-
rience in government, or to tribal jeal-
ousies and hatreds born Of unnatural
conditions. That we can and will hold
these possessions for the purpose of
enabling forms of government to
become firmly established, and thereaf-
ter maintain such protecting relations
with these new governments as will in
are to our commercial advantage is
believed. All which is legitimate, COM
nendable and civilizing.
The petitioners express fear that the
new takings will involve us in foreign
complications" but they fail to give
reasons for this belief. 1t may be said
in response to the fear that it is who'll
ay speculative, and that no foreign ma
tion has shown any disposition to dis
pute our right in the premises, or has
manifested any fear that our occupa-
Eion Of Porto Rico or the Philippines
Will trespass upon the sphere of in
huence within which foreign Powers
claim sole right to declare terms for
trade and political activity. This ma
fion has met every difficulty thus far
which has been opposed to its progress
Sive march, and has overcome each
without clash with foreign Powers; save
in the case of Cuba, there is no reason
to believe that if will be less successful
in the present instance.
The petitions drawn and sent out by
the "Anti-Imperialist League" which,
by the way, is grossly misnamed and
by its title adroitly attempts to mis-
gead-sets forth prayer that no exten-
sion of sovereignty Of the United States
over the Philippines be made, "or over
any other foreign territory, without the
free consent Of the people thereof"
The petition thus reasons in a circle.
How could the sense of the people
have been taken upon a question of ex-
tension of American sovereignty over
them, until they were released from
Spanish shackles? When once so re-
leased by our act, would the anti-impe-
rialists contend that they should be
left to themselves in their inexperience
with free government, their ingrained
Intolerance, their absolute ignorance of
khe workings of free institutions, or
should they be returned to Spanish
domination?
Rather is it not clear that they will
~ E,~v
which they Will be under the projection
and tutelage of the American Govern
ment until such time as such people
are fitted by education and observation
to pass upon questions of free govern
1nent, tolerance and liberty as we know
st? In such a form Of government
they will not be our vassals, yet they
viii enjoy liberties fully as broad and
benefcent as those which bless us.
If the anti-imperialists mean any
thing by their appeal, they mean what
ats words in their common acceptation
convey to the average mind. Thus in
terpreted the petition demands an i'm
possibility, namely while accepting the
fact that the people OF the islands have
been freed, they shall be at once aban-
doned to their own devices, or the ra-
pacity Of the first greedy Power that
may choose to fall upon and conquer
them.
The petition protests against a war
of conquest, and challenges the Presi-
dent to stand fast by his original dec
laration, that the war was not inau-
gurated for conquesting purpose. True
enough, but the implication of the Pc
tition is that the signers believe the
President is about to depart from that
declaration and violate his word be-
fore the people. Nothing could be
more misleading. The war was not
waged as one of conquest. One result
was expulsion Of Spain from West In
dian territory That was the natural,
may the inevitable outcome of such a
war. It was the logical result of the
political drift of the American nation
ever since there was a Cuban or a West
INDIAN question.
That we should control the mouth of
the Mississippi andshold the key to the
Gulf Of Mexico are natural rights
which have been too long in allegiance.
That we should possess a station on the
far eastern borders of the Caribbean
along with other nations whose menac-
Ing naval stations are plentiful there,