Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-03

WASHINGTON. May $-The circulars
which were mailed to the troops at Ma
nix, crin Using the Philippine policy of
the government aud advising volunteers
whose term OF service Is about TO expire
NOT TO re-eulisc wee discussed at
cabinet meeting. \ member of the cabi-
net. III speaking of the matter. said that
Mr. Edward Atkinson OF Boston, who
was believed to have been largely in
srumental i'll the preparation and send
I,g uGt Of these circulars. was ruques-
tio,nhiv guilty of assisting an insur-
rectiot against the authority of the
Uriied-ct:ttes aud was subject to term
ni impriSonmeut or Il heav9 fine or
both
The p0stnaster general stated at the
cabinet lreetiug that he had ordered
the circu!ars stopped at San Francisco.
Members cf the administration regard
MIR. y Is ~, II : alleged action us sedi-
tious and t!isgtarcful. and it is not i'm
pcoo,ble ti:,. If repeated. prompt and
energetic action will b. taken.
The iheco :amphletS are those which
have iht following titles: Criminal
Aggression by Whom" The Cost of IA
National Crime" and The Hell of War
aud Its Penalties" These, unless some
thing should develop TO necessitate tur-
ther action, may be circulated through
the mails within this country. The
matter was brought to the attention of
the postal uffi; ials by the war depart
inert, whose authorities We're greatly
exercised with IL suggestion that some
action lre taken. IL is thought that
there is litEle possibility OF any of these
publications. getting past the San Fran
Cisro ufii,s', hut il Il few should. the mill
t;lry authorities in the Philippines will
promptly suppress them Postmaster
General Emory Smith made this state
ment:
..l'hese pamphlets actually iLcite to
mutiny. and ii would be utterly unjusti-
fable to permit their circulation among
the soldiers i'll the Philippines. Their
circulation is a movement TO induce the
soldiers to disnhey orders and i'll effect
to emba1rass and resist the government
i'll whose services they are engaged.
Their circulation. except i'll the mails
for the Philippines. is not interfered
with, because i'll being sent to Manila
they are destined for soldiers fighting
our battles. but i'll this country the
effort to incite to mutiny could have no
result. Not only are they designed to
incite to mutiny the American soldiers
i'll these islands, but also TO fOment and
encourage inSurrection OH the part of
the Filipino> themselves
'sSuch setitiuus literature It's that
now stopped might have an effect on
the forces we now are dealing with that
would be intellectually to their advant-
age and certainly would tend to stimu-
late and strengthen the opposition. The
law covering the case is ample. What
action might be taken-and the offense
is of the gravest character-is not to be
discussed. do not believe there is any
intention to prosecute Mr.. Atkinson as
the matter now stands. The authority
TO do SO. however, is plain. He not
only attacks the president and the gov
ernment i'll the most virulent language
and disputes the national policy, but
also calls on the American troops to
defy the government. Certainly this
government is empowered to stop or
check. as it sees fit. the circulation of
these seditious publications.
Boston. May 3.-Hon. Edward At
biiS VI
perialist League of this city, was shown
the Washington dispatch stating that
the postmaster general had directed that
certain pamphlets prepared by Mr.. At
kinson be taken fromShe mails to Ma
Mia. Mr.. Atkinson said he had re-
ceived no notification from Washington
about the matter He explained that
the documents We're compilations of
facts and figures taken from the debates
in the national house and senate and
calling attention to points overlooked in
debate
''By action of the senate" Mr.. Atlsin-
son continued. these compilations
We're published as senate documents,
and they are now public documents of
the United States. Therefore any ac-
ton taken towards keeping them ont of
the mails would imply that congress
sional records and official documents
Of the United States are unsuitable to
be sent to officers of the volunteer regi-
ments now in Manila, whose terms of
service have expired and whose return
to this country is demanded by officials
of certain states, who say the men are
entitled to discharge.
Mr.. Atkinson said he had sent copies
of these document to Admiral Dewey,
President Schurman. Prof. Worcester,
General Ctis, General Lawton, General
Miller and two copies to the correspond
i