Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-06
ATKINSON AND ms PAMPHLETS.


Philadelphia Ledger: II Edward Atkinson
had sent the Fllpinos a few OF his somnif-
erous tracts he would have done just as
much good and would not have interfered
with the postal laws.
St Paul Globe: But what a job the od-
minstration will have on It's hands when
it begins to arrest those who are 'inclting
rebellion" by criticising the ADMINISTRATIONS
war policy. We trust 1t will begin at once,
for it will be the beginning Of a speedily
coming end.
ST. Paul Pioneer Press: Mr.. Atkinson
ought to have confined his missionary efforts
to the propagation Of the Aladdin oven idea.
1t has never become popular but 1t was
safe and respectable, which is a good deal
more than can be said Of his recent Filipino
correspondence.
Milwaukee Sentinel: Edward Atkinson
denies that he has originated predchments
to incito mutiny among American soldiers,
but he admits that he has mailed parts of
the Congressional Record to a country whose
people we are trying to reconcile to our
kind Of government Away with him!
Indianapolis News: Is not the government
taking Mr. Edward Atkinson's pamphlets too
seriously? We have precious little sympathy
with the tone and temper Of the utterances
believe so thoroughly in freedom of speech
that we would hesitate about interfering
with the dissemination of the views of the
most rabid opponents Of the government.
Philadelphia Record: Was it worth while
to stop the Atkinson pamphlets on their way
TO Manila? The boys at the front have
been used TO that sort of thing since they
learned to spell They cannot be instructed
from Boston as to the situation under their
own eyes. And the boys at home are ready
to so to the front If need be. Why not
let the pampheteers rage and rip and snort.
instead of bringing them into much desired
notorety?
Detroit Free Press: Heinous as is the
offense of the Hon. Edward Atkinson OF
Boston in hinging his gray goose quill
feminist the imperial designs of the ad
Observation-Disclosures containing his anti
slaughter sentiments having been mailed, it
is alleged, to the volunteers in the Philip
pines-it is to be hoped, in view of the un-
happy miscreant's useful and honorable
career, he will not be shot at the next
rising of the sun. Be merciful with Ed
ward, Mr.. President and maybe you'll con-
vert him into an imperial whooper with your
gracious clemency.
Springfield (Mass) Republican: Let it be
kept in mind exactly what Mr. Atkinson's
offense is. He mailed his pamphlets on
April "a and 20 to Admiral Dewey, President
Schurman, Prof. Worcester, General II. G.
Otis, General Lawtoh, General Miller and
j. p. Bass correspondent of Harper's
Weekly. Only these and no more Nothing
has been mailed to private soldiers. Post
master General Smith has telegraphed to
San Francisco hoping to head off these
insidious documents lest they corrupt these
generals, our peace commissioners and Mr..
Bass!
New York World: The order of the presl-
dent forbidding the transmission by mail to
the Philippines of Edward Atkinson's Anti
Imperialistic" pamphlets is like twelve
inch gun fired at a Filipino canoe. This
stringent action is taken on the ground
that the prescribed publications are designed
and calculated to create "discontent and
even mutiny among our soldiers" The
commonsense view of the matter would seem
to be that our soldiers in the Philippines
know a great deal more about the hell
Of war than any New England doctrinaire
can tell them, and that they are not (as
their fighting shows) the sort of men to be
upset in their minds or made unfaithful
to duty by whole shipload of pamphlets,
even if our soldiers could be induced to
read Edward Atkinson.