The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-26
In OLD FANEUIL HALL
ECHOES OF PROTESTS AGAINST
IMPERIALISM

Speeches Made Against the New
Colonial ImperiaIist Policy and
Strong Resolutions Adop+ed nv
the Meeting-A Ringing Address
Delivered by Hon. Moorhefd So
rey.
Old Faneuil hall. Boston's sanctuary
| OF liberty, was filled the other night
to hear the new policy of Republican
| Imperialism discussed. Among the
Speakers was Moorf1eld Storey. at the
head Of the Boston bar, who said. in his
remarks:
We are not here to oppose the war
! or to throw any obstacle in the way
OF Its speedy and successful termina-
ton. The question upon which men
differed before the war was declared
Is decided. and it is idle to discuss
that question now. We are here to
deal with a far graver issue, to in
sist that war begun in the cause Of
humanity shall not be turned into a
war for empire. that an attempt to
win Tor Cubans the right to govern
themselves shall not be made the ex-
cuse for extending our sway over alien
peoples without their consent. The
fundamental principles of our govern
ment are at stake. -Four score and
ten years ago." said Lincoln, at Get
tysDurg, our fathers brought forth
upon this continent a new nation.
conceived in liberty and dedicated to
the proposition that all men are Gre
ated equal" and no utterance Of man
mas 6een more cordially approved by
US all than the immortal speech which
begins thus. When that nation was
born our fathers declared as the very
breath of the infants nostrils that
governments derive their Just DOW
efs from the consent of the governed"
and whenever any form of govern
ment becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of the people to
alter or to abolish it and to institute
new government"
Two months ago the people Of this
country, at the outbreak of this war,
again declared through congress their
fealty to these principles Of freedom
when they resolved: "First-That the
people Of the island Of Cuba are and
of right ought to be free and independ-
ent. Fourth, that the United
States hereby disclaims and DISPOSE
ton or intention to exercise sovereign
ty, jurisdiction, or control over said
island, except for the pacification
thereof, and asserts the determina-
ton, when that is accomplished, to
leave the government and control Of
the island to it's people,
This was the promise of the govern
ment, not merely to Cuba and the
world. but to us, it's citizens, whose
lives, whose property, and whose flag
are embarked in this enterprise. In
these words the United States declared
its purpose to help the Cubans to found
a government which should derive it's
power from their consent and then
leave them free to enjoy their indie
pendence. Now a brilliant victory over
a hostile fleet has turned our heads.
The politicians and the editors who
clamored for humanity now shrek for
empire. We propose to add Porto Rico,
the Philippine islands, the Ladrones,
the Canaries and every other colony of
Spain to our territories. and to en-
bark this country in a career of foreign
conquest. 1t is even suggested that we
seize the Hawaiian islands, friendly
state, as a war measure
No graver danger ever confronted us,
and the time to speak is now, while
public opinion is forming. This is not
a party question. No party has ever
preached such a policy, but it deeply
concerns every American citizen, and
the man who is silent or Indifferent
any colony of Spain and hold it as our
own Is violation of the principles
upon which this government rests
which we have preached to the world
for centuries, and which we pledged
ourselves to respect when this war was
declared. Can any one tell why, if
1.-The people of the island of Cuba of
right ought to be free and indepen-
dent" the people of Porto Rico are not
entitled to like independence? The two
islands are side by side, and their
populations are substantially the same
A victory over Spain cannot take from
the people Of Porto Rico the rights
which we have called 'inalienable."
Why should Cuba, with it's 1,6OO, 900 peo-
pie, have right to freedom and self
government, and the 10000 of people
who dwell in the Philippine islands be
denied the same right? How can we
justify the annexation of Hawaii,
whose people, outside the small fac
ton now kept in power by us, are
VIGOROUSLY opposed to it? Across the
path of our proposed aggression blaze
not only the words of Washington and
Lincoln and all the great founders and
preservers of our government, but our
own declaration not two months old.
and last of all the great command
ment, Thou shalt not steal"
But it is said that there is a war
necessity. or that we need indemnity.
Can we exact our expenses from the
enslaved people whom we interfered
to help? Is Porto Rico more indebted
to us than Cuba? Is the command
ment Thou shall not steal' qualified
by the proviso unless it is neces-
sary?" Necessity is the tyrant's plea
1t is merely the will to take which is
thus disguised. No necessity can jus
tify US in disregarding the rights of
others, especially a weaker nation.
Nothing can wipe from our flag the
disgrace if it floats over any but a
/ free people. 1t should be enough that,
If we adopt the policy of conquest, we
are false to our principles and false to
Cur express promises.
But the case does not end here. We
not only abandon the boosted Monroe
doctrine. upon which, with it's recent
extensions, we were insisting a few
years ago. We not only disregard that
wise policy of our non-intervention
in European troubles which Wash
ington preached, and which until now
we have followed. We become a Mill
tary power, burdened with a standing
army and an enormous navy, threat
ered with complications thousands of
miles away, and exposed to constant
apprehension. We take up the bur-
den which is crushing Europe Let
me describe the situation in the words
Of Lord Dufferin, than whom there is
no more distinguished or experienced
Englishman:
1.-The whole of Europe is little bet
ter than a standing camp. numbering
millions of armed men. while a double
row of frowning and opposing fort
resSeS briStle along every frontier The
globe itself has become a mere bundle