The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-05-12
washington Authorities SlppTSss.
Ing Altinspa's Work.
THREE PAMPHLETS ARE NAMED
The Noted WriTer Alleged to Be
Guilty OF Sed,tion Books Can.
not Be Sent to Manila.

WASHINGTON, May 2.--Postmast-
.er General Smith has barred the PAM
phlets Of the Anti-lmperialistic League
from the mails going to the Philip
pines. His action was reported to the
President and Cabinet at the meeting
this morning and was warmly APP
proved. Attorney General Griggs was
of the opinion that Edward Atkinson
and his associates were guilty OF sedi-
ton in distributing screeds calculated
to breed mutiny among the American
troops and to encourage the Filipinos
in their instruction, but the Cabinet
concluded that 1t would not be good
policy to make martyrs OF the Offend
ers.
Mr.. Smith explained that he had in
structed the postal officials at San
Francisco to examine the mails close
ly and throw out all of Atkinsons
pamphlets directed to points in the
philippines. He called special atten-
ton TO the three publications entitled
"The He'll of War" Criminal Aggres-
sion" and THE Cost of a National
Crime" There was some discussion
at the Cabinet meeting as to the ad-
visibility of excluding these treason
able pamphlets from the mails alto
gether, but 1t was decided that they
would do no real harm within the
States.
Instead of prosecuting Mr.. Atkinson
and his associates, 1t was agreed that
the wiser policy would be to ignore
them as much as possible and not to
magnify their Importance.
The Postmaster General consulted
the Attorney General before making
his order, and that official Is confident
that Mr.. Atkinson and his associates
have fiagrantly violated section 1884
OF the United States Statutes relating
to Grimes against the existence Of the
Government"
This section Is as follows:
amy person who incites, sets on
foot. assists or engages In any rebellion
or instruction against the authority
Of the United States or the laws there
Of, or gives aid or comfort thereto,
shall be punished by Imprisonment Of
not more than ten years, or by a fine
of not more than 10000, or by both OF
such punishments, and shall moreover
be incapable OF holding any ONCE
under the United States"
This matter was brought to the at
tention Of the postal officials by the
War Department, whose authorities
were greatly exercised and urged that
some action be taken. II Is thought
that there IL little possibility OF any of
these publications getting past the San
Francisco office. but II a few should,
the military authorities in the Philip
pines will promptly suppress them.
While the Administration has no
plan for the punishment OF Mr.. Atkin-
son and others OF his kind. these men
may proceed to lengths which will ul-
timately lead to their prosecution. II
they undertake to sneak their seditious
pamphlets into the Philippines after
the plain warning OF the Government,
the Administration will not hesitate to
take radical steps to stop them.
Mr.. Atkinson admits that his league
has already distributed about 10000 of
its tracts, many of them in distant
Islands. It is thought they have had
something to do with the discomfort of
the volunteers. The troops had pre-
viousIy given Gen. Otis to understand
that they wanted to stay in the SER
vice until the fighting was over, but
the Boston tracts gave them the i'm
preston that their services were not
appreciated in the United States. These
pamphlets were also intended to en-
courage the Filipinos to continue their
resistance, and the anti-imperialists
may be directly responsible for the
loss OF many American livessand the
expenditure OF much treasure.