Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-23
Hold a Mass Meeting at New
York, Sunday Evening,
To Show Disapproval Of the POLICY
Of the Administration.
eussis, comrcrs, Bourke Cochran and Others
Speak-Resolusions Adopted.

nose of protesting against the policy of
Imperialism and entangling alliances
with European powers. The meeting
was attended by great crowd. Aus
tin G. Fox presided.
Communications were read from Ex-
President Cleveland and VIM. J. BRYAN
regretting their inability to be present.
Mr.. Cleveland in mis- letter said: ar,
so opposed to the eXpanisionist craze
now affecting our body polite thar
any organization formed in opposition
to it has my hearty sympathy and ap-
prevail Mr.. Bryan said that he was
fully in sympathy with every effort nut
forth to save the nation from the dang
ers of Imperialism.
The first speaker of the evening was
Hon. James B. Eustis former United
States ambassador to France. Mr..
Eustis said in part:
81 see before me an audience in
which l recognize the type Of true
Americans banded together to protest
against expansion and Imperialism.
What a strange sight. A meeting of
intelligent American citizens OF
American soil protesting against i'm
DeFldllSlIl anu llC
of the American government. The rep
resentatives of the people of this great
country are combating the idea and l
hardly feel as though I were living in
the republic of the United States; feel
as though l were living instead in
some continental country where i'm
, perialism is recognized.
THE sentiment of the American peo-
pie is against the rash idea of expan-
sion; for to fight the Filipinos would
mean loss of life to American soldiers
in the future in a sickly climate, if this
wild theory is carried out There are
only two persons whose ideas on the
question of anneXing the Philippines
have given me cause for serious
thought. One of them thought that by
annexation certain merchandise could
be sold to the Philippines. The other
was preacher who thought that by
expansion and annexation he could sell
some Protestant Bibles to the natives.
1.-THE people of the United States"
continued the speaker, will on March
4th next, adjourn Congress which will
not meet again until December. during
which time they will become military
dictators of more than 1880, 900 of peo-
pie in these conquered islands. Yet
our constitutional President is going
to govern them by his personal will
and will you not tell me that the act
will not afford him a swelled head"
Mr.. Eustis referred to the late war
with Spain and contended that the
signing of the peace protocol after tbs
suing for peace by Spain was in itself
sufficient to decide the questions in
volved.
Samuel Gompers. president of the
American Federation of Labor was the
next speaker. Mr. Gompers severely
criticised the action and inconsistency
he said of the United States govern
ment in going to war to free the Gu
bans and of denying the same meas
ures of freedom and liberty to the
Filipinos. He exclaimed thar the flag
of the nation should never be used to
hide tyranny. He said that it is not
at all improbable that the Filipinos will
yet become part of the standing army
of the United States and might be
called upon to shoot down American
wage earners. He said it was I'M
American to subdue people by force
of arms and at the same time mann
tain our free institutions
Hon. w. Bourke Cochran, was the
next speaker and said: This heresy OF
imperialism is sweeping over the coun-
try and is threatening the stability of
our Institutions and our measure of
free government 1t is policy OF IN
fanny. This country of ours. the home
their hands in protest against policy
which. if successful, Will obscure the
horizon of the whole human race.
Shall this country step down from the
high eminence which she has attained
IN the family of nations in the matter
OF Imperialism? Why? When we are
asked to take this step it is but natur-
al that we ask its pranulSators to I'M
ravel their pretenses and when we co
so We find them advocating contradlc-
tory arguments.
The question of Imperialism and eX-
pansion boiled down to it's true import
sa dangerous policy to either adops or
pursue. The imperialists tell you that
trade follows the flag when in fact
every American knows that the oppo.
Site is the case. 1t is, the flag that fol- |
lows trade. 1t it part of the principles
oi our free and independent govern
ment to proceed to civiliZe a weaker
people by first shooting and then ROD
Ding them? We shrink from the re-
sponsibility imposed upon us by des-
tiny and when we fail to be convinced
of this appeal to destiny we are chars-
ed with being un-American. rms
child of destiny is n new growth in this
country but in the old he is as old as
human depravity.
No nation. particularly the Amerl-
can nation. can have a citizen soldiery
ana mercenary army. 1t is against
the faith of Washington and the signers
of the Declaration of Independence.
The imperialists of today, would have
you and l believe that Washington ana
the trainers of the constitution de-
scend on the capitol at Washington and
played havoc with the nation and of
course We're decidedly un-American.
With regard to the Philippines. if we
are to become barbarous let us excel in
our barbarity as we have eNceiled in our
civilization all the other nations of the
world. Let us not substitute the
weight of cannon balls for moral integ
rlty and support. l confess l am in
favor of expansion if it is meant in the
Il In,