Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-10-20
|D[MARD1HA1 NIRbEEhD[D.
Antl-lmperiaIists Adopt Strong
Resolutions.
WILL PETITION CONGRESS.
6ourks Cochran Closes the Meeting 1t
Chicago with An Address Denouncing
the Policy of tho AdministrstioA In
the Philippines-The Resolutions.

the Policy Of tho Administrstion II
the Philippines-The Resolutions.
Chicago. Oct. neutrality-suspicious.
In thousands packed Central Music hal
to the doors last night and heard the
address of Bourke Cochran Of New
York, which brought to close the
anti-imperialist conference.
"Aguinaldo was q soldier and oul
ally, or else bandit and we copartners
In his brigandage," was the gist OF
part of his argument.
THE establishment by the United
States Of a government based on the
consent Of the governed in the heart Of
oriental despotism would be an
achievement Of incalculable value to
civilization and unmeasured credit to
ourselves" he said, in suggesting the
course to be pursued In right and JUS
tice to the PHILIPPINES.
The statement is made authoritative
ly that the organizing 'antis" will seek
to unite the gold democrats OF 1896, the
silver republicans and followers OF
Bryan into solid front on a platform
of antitrust and anti-imperialism.
The resolutions adopted by the con-
ference iuiiow:
1--WE hold that the policy known as
imperialism is hostile to liberty and
tends toward militarism, an evil from
which it has been our glory to be free,
We regret that 1t has become neces-
sary In the land Of Washington and
Lincoln to reafirm that all men, OF
whatever race or color, are entitled
to life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness. We maintain that govern
ments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed. We in
sist that the subjugation of any people
is criminal aggression" and open dis
loyalty to the distinctive principles OF
our government.
1--WE earnestly condemn the policy OF
the present national administration in
the Philippines. 1t seeks to extinguish
the spirit of 1776 in those islands. We
deplore the sacrifice of our soldiers
and sailors, whose bravery deserves
admiration even in an unjust war. We
denounce the slaughter of the Filipinos
as a needless horror. We protest
against the extension of American SOW
ereignty by Spanish methods.
lot n
ton Of the war against liberty, begun
by Spain and continued by us. We
urge that congress be promptly con-
vened to announce to the Filipinos
our purpose to concede to them the
independence for which they have so
long fought and which of right is
THEIRS"
The work of forming an anti-im-
.perialist league was left to special
committee with power to act and to
add to it's own membership. The COM
.mittee will arrange for an effective
combination between the sixty existing
local leagues Of this country, and for
affiliation with them of the special an
ti-imperialistic work Of already exist
ing societies.
A literary propaganda will be es-
pecially provided for. Headquarters
will be established, probably in Chica-
go, Washington and Boston, and ar
rangements will be made for another
national conference next spring, when
the condition of national politics will
be carefully investigated and plans
formed for influencing the national
party conventions.
The petition to congress for circu-
lation throughout the United States is
as follows:
1--WE, the undersigned citizens of the
United States Of America, respectfully
petition your honorable body to bring
about an immediate cessation of hos
Titles in the Philippine islands, and
to announce to the people thereof with
all convenient promptitude that it is
the purpose OF the United States not
to interfere with their aspirations for
independence or to subject them to our
authority, but only to aid them in set
ting UP an Independent government
Of their own choice, and to protect
them against hostile foreign Interior
ence and to assist them with the mill
tary and naval forces Of the United
States so far as may be required in the
maintenance Of order and security un-
til such a government shall be estab-
1lshed." 81