Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-01-26
Prominent Men Address a New York
Gathering, Opposing the Policy
Of Colonialism.
AGAINST AMERICAN TRADITION
Resolutions Declare 1t Is the Eu.
ropcan Ideal...Ex- Ambassa.
dor Eustis Criticises
the President.

inc continental league Tor the purpose
OF protesting against the policy of lin
perialism and entangling alliances
with European powers" The meeting
was attended by great crowd.
A list of vice presidents was read,
including these names: Wheeler IL
Peclsham, Abram s. Hewitt, Henry
Loomis Nelson, William II. Hornblow-
er, Roger A. Pryor, John G. Sheehan,
Frederic r. Coudert, Samuel Comp
crs, John NJ. Parsons, general master
workman of the knights of Labor;
Daniel Harris, president of the State
Federation of Labor.
Communications were read from ex-
President Cleveland, Colonel William
j. Bryan and Bishop Henry c. Potter,
regretting their inability to be pres
ent. Mr.. Cleveland in his letter said:
II am SO opposed to the eXpansionist
craze now affecting our body polite
that any organization formed in oppo-
sition to it has my hearty sympathy
and approval
Mr.. Bryan said that he was fully in
sympathy with every effort put forth
imperialism.
JblSIl0p IOtler wrote:
"1he purposes of the meeting have
my hearty approval and should be
glad if I had time TO say how strongly
feel that the policy of Imperialism OF
expansion any such senseas proposed
at present threatens equally the moral
Integrity of the nation and the condi-
tions on which it's prosperity has hith-
erto rested.s
Resolutions were adopted declaring:
l. That the full discharge of our obliga-
tions to the inhabitants of the. Philippines
requires that we should without delay
help them to secure in their domestic eff
fairs first. order. and then liberty, and
that We are absolutely and unqualiiiedly
opposed to the annexation of the Philip
pine islands as a permanent portion OF the
national domain.
g. That we are unalterably opposed to
the abandonment by this republic of the
American ideal of national growth. IN IA
vor Of the European ideal of colonial con
quest; we unreservedly subscribe to
the theory that government derives all
Its just powers from the consent of the
governed and to the theory that there
should be no taxation without represef.
tation, and we believe, moreover. that
such theories are wholly applicable to the
inhabitants of all the places abandoned
by Spain as the result of the late war.
3. That neither the government nor the
y
any responsibility or obligation as To the
result of the recent War with Spain which
vcqulrcs any departure from or abandon
lnent of the policies and principles laid
down for the guidance of the republic by
Washington in his farewell address to the
American people.
4. That we are opposed, therefore, to the
Idea that the peace loving and free people
of the republic should now or under any
conceivable circumstance enter upon any
alliance with any European power. the re-
suit of which might be to embroil us in
European controversies in which our real
interests are not concerned.
That we place on record high apprecia-
ton of and sincere thanks for the conspic-
Ious services rendered to the American
people by Senator's Hoar. Hale. Mason
and dangerous policy of Imperialism from
oeins forced through the senate of the
United States without proper and ade-
luate discussion, and We commend to all
citizens of this republic the high sense of
public duty and enlightened patriotism
which have characterized the action of
these senators in resisting innovations on
our present system of government that
are pregnant with decentralization and dis
aster.
Resolved. That copies of these resolu-
lions be sent to the president of the United
States, to the members of the cabinet and
of both houses of congress.
The first speaker was James b.
Enstis, former ambassador to France.
Mr.. Eusts said. in part:
''1'he sentiment of the American
people is against the rash idea of cx-
l5<.l4slon: Tor To fight the Filipinos
would mean loss of life TO the Ameri-
can soldiers i'm the future i'm :: sicl,lv
climate, if this wild theory is carried
out.
"Thc president of the United States
will on March next adjourn congress.
which will not meet again until De
"cnber, during which time he will be-
come military dictator of more than
l2,500,000 of people in these conquered
Stands. Yes, our constitutional prcsi-
lent is going to govern them by his
personal will, and will you not tell
me that the act will not afford him Il,
swelled head?"
Mr.. Eustis referred to the late war
with Spain, and contended that the
signing of the peace protocol after the
suing for peace by Spain was in itself
sufficient to decide the questions in
volvcd.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, severe
ly criticised the inconsistency of the
United States government in going to
war to free the Cubans and denying
The same measure of freedom and lib
erty to the Filipinos. He declared
that the flag of the nation should never
have been used to hide tyranny.
He said that it is not at all improb-
able that the Filipinos will yet become
part of the standing army of the Unit
ed States, and might yet be called up
on to shoot down American wage
earners.
Bourke Cochran, the next speaker,
said:
"This heresy of Imperialism sweep
ing over the country is threatening
the stability of our institutions and
our measure of free government. 1t
Is policy of infamy. The question
Of Imperialism and expansion, boiled
down to its true import, is dangerous
policy to either adopt or pursue. Tie.
imperialists tell you that trade fol-
lows the flag, when in fact every
American knows the opposite is the
Ease. 1t is the flag that follows trade.
is it part of the principles of our free,
Independent government to proceed to
civilize weaker people by first shoot
Ing and then robbing them? We
shrink from the responsibility i'm
AUTOGRAPH OE KEATS lEAnc