The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-04
ANTI-IMPfRIALIsT LEAGUE.
Its Organization Has Been Com
p:eied in Chicago.
Letters of Approval From Many Promi-
nent Men.


crgaaizasi5n in this city Of the Central
Anti-Imperialist League to cooperate
with other like bodies in accusing opposl-
tion to the policy OF expansion. This or
ganisation is not mersly local but is In
tended to promote the holding Of meetings
and to carry on general agitation
through the ntfal wet.
The following are the officers Of the
League--President. j. Sterling Morton:
Vice Presidents, A. Q. McClure, Her.
man X. Van Helst. Richard 4. Crane
Bishop John Lancaster Spauldlng, era
ham Taylor, Bishop boyd Vincent and
Judge Rufus b. Smith: Secretary, How
ari Leslie Smith; Treasurer. Frederick
w. Gookin members OF the Executive
committee, Messrs. Edwin Burritt Smith,
Inward o. Brown, ]. Laurence Laugh
lin. Daniel nj. Lord, Sigmund Zeisier,
Frank ii. Scott and Leroy d. Thoman.
The League havs already published two
tracts. and purpose others. They are pre-
pairing to hold meetings In the rear
future. Among letters they have REQ iyei
In support Of their work are the follow
ing:
Ex-Ssn nat r George II. Edmunds writes:
81 am glad you are to hold meetings In
| the interest Of the true principles OF our
governmen and to oppose the conquest
of people on the othae side of the globe
who do not wish TO become either citizsns
or subjects of the United States q CON
q ucst which very few, II any OF Its pro-
motors, have undertaken to show would
| be- finally of material or moral benefit 10
our country, and one the Immediate evils
of which In losses of life and health in
| our Army and of toe treasure of the
United Eta es fear, are YET only half
known. When Cong ess meets and gets
| at the whole truth, believe there will
be found an easy means of terminating
| the war we are carrying on In the Phil
| ippines that will be satisfactory to nine
tenths OF the psopie Of those islands, and
with its whole duty towards itself and
other nations.
Senator Vim. X. Mason says:--
.'That class OF dams ero g citizens. who
| feel above serving their country have not
| yet heard Of the unnecessary, and unoon-
ssitutional war now being waged by us 10
m IKE slaves In the Philippine Islands.
ongress, the only war-n aking pc wer
under our constitution. has not declared.
They say we bought the right TO govern
from Spain. Then we bought what we
had no right TO buy and what Spain had
no right to sell. We purchased goods from
thief.-we knew it and told the world
what she was long before we purchased
| 70 get the technical tight TO XIII. we cali
| them rsbels against q governments 10
which they have never sworn alIepiance-
we muet make them sub cots before thex
| oan re rebels.
'They say they can't govern themselves.
| Why not try them awhile before killing
them. They tell US they would kill each
other. n Isn't true. INT n a. vas n
| wonId he hettar than kil,,ng onr hcss
| uI,incoln said no man a. good anonah
| to Govern nnother man vithaus mis- rnns
sent. II was true then. nnd IL a. trn.,
now. TaxatIon without nresan atio, IL
| AZ muah tyranny in Luzon a. N was On
| Huston Harbor at ths time Of our tea
party. We hate no moro right n Govern
| In the phiItppines without Consent Of the
goyerned than King George hsd 10 GOV.
srn ns in i778 xhhout n,r consan.
| this is reason. make the mcst OF II.
NJ. Mao.r.,s 60, - .s,s.,.
.' AoAA Sso'os' 'no uissin2 uishe1
boston lawyer, writes as foilows:-
sAs was said of slavery, so may we
say CT the attempt to subjugate the Phil
| ippines IL IL Is not wrong. nothing is
wrong. The moral law has not chan ged
| In year. The commandn Is, Thou
shalt not steal and '1hon shalt not kin
attll forbid us to rob another people of
their country and Co slaughter them for
defending their liberty. Ihe great prIn-
oiples OF freedom which our fathers lro.
claimed when this nation was born, rpon
which they founded our state. and which
the civil war was fought to maintain are
still self evident truths. IL governments
do not derive their Just powers from the
consent OF the governed what is left but
the divine right of kings, or the savage
Law OF might. If Spain was wrong In
trying to subdue Cubans and Filipinos.
our country Is not right In carrying on
the work. Nay, we are far worse than
Spain, for she WAS true TO her principles
which We have always denounced, while
we are false 10 all that we have ever be-
level In morals politics and religion.
since We were nation
| Into this aggression which he himself
has called criminal this country has
been LED Dy the PRESIDENT. Upon him
ana MS eight connseliors rests the first
responsibility. surely before the policy of
tnis nation established and approved by
its greatest men was reversed, the people
shouie nave Desh consulted. Inc Presi-
uenS mas saiu taat Wnae we snail DO with
tne Fninppihes Is . question Tor Con-
eress, pue congress Is not convened and
| ul0S men, OF whom Only tins president