The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-23
Anti Expansionists
Speak Their Minds.
H0AR CONNIE NDED
And Resolutions Sent to All
Branches of Government.

New York, Jan. ga mass meeting
OF citizens was held in the Academy of
Music tonight under the auspices of
the continental league for the purpose
OF protesting against the policy OF Inn
perialism and entangling alliances with
european powers. The meeting was
attended by great crowd Austen G.
Fox presided. Communications were
then read from ex-President Cleveland
and William Jennings Bryan, regret
ting their inability to be present.
Mr.. Cleveland. In his letter, said: II
am so opposed to the expansionist craze
now affecting our body polite that any
organization formed in opposition to 1t
has my hearty sympathy and APP
prevail
Mr.. Bryan said that he was fully
In sympathy with every effort put
forth to save the nation from the dam
gers Of Imperialism
Inc frst speaker of the evening was
Hon. James B. Eustis, former United
States ambassador to France. Mr.. Eus-
tbs said in part; Il see before me an
audience in which | recognize the type
OF true Americans banded together to
protest against expansion and impe-
rialism. What strange sight! A
meeting of intelligent American citizens
on American soil, protesting against
imperialism and the imperialistic poll
cy of the American government.
Tine representatives Of the people Of
this great country are combating the
idea, and I hardly feel as though were
living in the republic of the United
States; | feel as though l were living
instead In some continental country,
where Imperialism is recognized.
The sentiment Of the American peo-
pie is against the rash idea of expan-
sion, for to fight the Filipinos would
mean loss of life to American soldiers
in the future in sickly climate, If this
wild theory is carried out. There are
only two persons whose ideas on the
question of annexing the Philippines
| have given me cause for serious
| thought. One of them thought that by
annexation certain United States mer-
| chandise could be sold to the Philip
pines. The other was a preacher who
thought that by expansion and an
nexation he could sell some Protestant
Bibles to the natives,
1.-The president Of the United States"
continued the speaker, will on March
4 next adjourn congress, which will not
meet again until December, during
which time he will become military die.
tator Of more than twelve and a half
millions Of people in these conquered
islands. Yet our constitutional presi-
dent is going to govern them by his per-
sonal will, and win you not tell me that
the act will not afford him a swelled
head?
Mr.. Eustis referred to the late war
| with Spain and commended that the sign
ing of the peace protocol after the sue
| ing for peace by Spain was in Itself
sufficient to decide the questions in
Volved.
Samuel Gonpers, president of Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, was the next
| speaker Mr. GomperS severely critic
lied the action and inconsistency, he
said, Of the United States government
in going to war to free the Cubans and
| of denying the same measure of free
dom and liberty to the Firipinos. He ex-
claimed that the flag of the nation
should never be used to hide tyranny.
He said that it is not at all improbable
chat the Filipinos win yet become part
of the standing army of the United
States and might yet be called upon to
shoot down American wage earners.
| He said it was un-American to sub
| due people by force of arms and at
the same time maintain our free instl-
| buttons.
speaker said: This heresy Of inper-
ialism Is sweeping over the country and
is threatening the stability of our in
situations and our measure of free gov
eminent 1t is q policy of infamy. This
country Of ours, the home Of alien
races, are now raising aioft their hands
in protest against a policy, which If sue
cessful will obscure the horizon Of the
whole human race. Shall this country
step down from tine high erninence
which she has attained in the family
OF nations in the matter Of imperialism?
When we are asked to take this
step, 1t Is but natural that we ask its
promulgators to unravel their pre-
lenses. and when we do so, we find
them advocating contradictory argu-
ments. The question of Imperialism
and expansion boiled down to its true
import, is a dangerous policy to either
adopt or pursue. The imperialists tell
you that trade follows the flag when
I in fact, every American knows that the
opposite is the case. 1t is the flag that
follows trade. Is it part Of the prin-
ciples Of our free and Independent gov
eminent to proceed to civilize
weaker people by first shooting and
then robblng themY
1--WE shrink from the responsibility inn
posed upon us by destiny, and when
we fail to be convinced OF this appeal
to destiny. we are charged with being
dnAmerican. This child OF destiny
| is a new growth in this country, but in
the old he is as Old as human deprav-
| ity.
mo nation. particularly the Ameri-
can nation, can have a citizen soldiery
and meTcendry army. II is against
the faith of washington and the sign
ers Of the declaration of independence.
| The imperiallsts Of today would have
you and | believe that Washington and
the trainers Of the constitution descend
ed on the capitol az Washington and
played havoc with the nation, ana of
course were decidedly un-American.
with regard to the Philippines, IL
we are to become tarbarous, let US ex.
Gel in our oarbarlty as we have ex-
celled in our civilization, all the other
nations Of the world Let us not SUBJ
stltute the weigh. Of cannon balls for
moral integrity and support. / con-
fess / am in favor of expansion, IL II
is meant in the right direction. In this
case, everything depends on what ls
meant by the right direction. Il we
want expansion, why. here to the north
Of Us lies a country which is natural
part Of us. Why not annex Canada