Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-03
CALLS THEM PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
Pamphlets Atkinson Wants to Send to the
Philippines.

Boston. May 3.-Hon. Edward Atkin-
son, Vice president of the Apti-ImperiaI-
ist League of this city. was shown a
Washington dispatch stating that the
postmaster general had directed that
certain pamphlets prepared by Atkin-
son be not allowed to go in the mails to
Manila. Atkinson said he had received
no direct communication from Washing
ton about the matter. He explained that
the documents were compilations of
facts and figures taken from the debates
in the national house ard senate. and
calling attention to points overlooked in
debate. BY action of the senate" At
kinson continued. these compilations
were published as senate documents.
and they are now public documents of
the United States. Therefore any ac-
tion taken towards keeping them out
Of the mails would imply that congress-
IvsaI 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 has expired and whose return
to this country is demanded by officials
Of certain states. who say that the men
are entitled to discharge.
1t is said that the dispatch of these
pamphlets from this country to the
Philippine islands is barred lest they
should create discomfort and even mu-
tiny among the soldiers; that being
stated by the department to be the de-
sign OF these publications.
There are two pamphlets only. The
first edition of the first, printed in No
vember. was dedicated to President Nc
Kinley. in support of his statement that
'forcible annexation would be criminal
aggression The facts and figures given
in that pamphlet were made the fire.
quent subject of debate in the house of
representatives and the senate during
the session. and the pamphlet as
whole was finally printed by order of
the senate as senate document No. 90.
The second pamphlet was issued late in
February. when il appeared that acts
of criminal aggression were being COM
mitted in the Philippine islands. In
that pamphlet certain facts and state
ments were submitted to the attention
of the senate and were the subject of
debate. and that pamphlet again. by or
der Of the senate, was printed as SEN
ate document
Il have a copy OF No. 81 and have
sent for a copy of the latter. These
pamphlets were. on April "a and %. ad-
dressed by me to Admiral Dewey
President Schurman. Professor Worces-
ter. General II. q. Otis. General Law
ton, General Miller and the correspond
ent of a New York illustrated weekly
in Manila. None others have to my
knowledge been sent to any one else. 1
desired to send them to other officers.
and for that purpose notified the war
department of my intention and asked
for a-Iist that would give me the names.
If IL is unlawful for citizen of the
United States to communicate with 9TH
er citizens in Manila by sending them
documents in n private edition which
have been printed by order Of the Unit
ed States senate as public documents I
am content to leave the matter at that
exact point, which requires no comment
from me
II would. however. call the attention
of the postmaster general TO the neces-
sity of requiring that all newspapers
lately printed-here and elsewhere
which contain the late speech of Sena-
tor Hoar, given at the Republican. club
in Boston. in which he used this EXPIRES
sive phrase: Il can see no difference in
Kpching OF q southern postmaster and