The San Francisco call., 1899-05-31
TRIBUTE TO THE BOYS IN BLUE
BIG MASS s-MEETING IN METRO
PoLITAN TEMPLE.
Many Eloquent Speakers Talk of In
discriminate Shedding of Inno-
cent Blood in the Name
Of Liberty.

Metropolitan Temple was crowded to the
doors last night by an intelligent audi
euce who had gathered to hear speakers
OF the Socialist Labor party voice their
sentiments against the imperialistic pol
icy OF this Government. Many were the
telling points made against the motives
which animated some citizens who were
patriotic from mercenary or commercial
motives only. While due credit was given
10 the brave boys in blue who went forth
ii the defense of their country, the con-
tinuation OF the war itself was denounced
as baTbarous and not animated by hu-
manitarian ideas.
The meeting was called to order by
Thomas Bashford, who introduced g. b.
Benham as the first speaker of the even
ing.
I'VE are here tonight" said Mr.. Ben
ham. TO protest emphauCalIy against the
late war which was carried on in the
name OF despotism and followed in its
wake by death and destruction. We have
seen Cuban patriots refuse to take the
gold Tor which was sold their honor.
W hile this nation was commended in the
beginning for its diSintereSJed assistance
10 q dOWn-trOdden people, events have oc-
CURED which have changed the aspect OF
the case, and now there are none so poor
in spirit OF in Judgment TO do her reNer-
euCe or honor.
This COuntry'S nag waves over scene
OF deSpOUSm III the Philippine Islands
When the doctrine was promulgated that
the people Of cuba are OF right and should
be Tree q mighty thuH OF appreciation
swept over this land. But when our mill
tary supremacy was established the Gu
bans found themselves in the exact posi-
ton in the exercise OF their sovereignty
as they mad been under Spanish rule.
Twenty thousand Fihpinos surrendered
their nyes rather than give up their aD-
erty."
L. J. Kingsley in the course of his
speech said: Armed murderers have
marched beneath the glorious American
Tag 10 deprive people OF their liberty.
The flag has been sold and resold for
profit until the very clothes on Uncle
sam back smack OI the bargain count
worthy purpose, and the war against
Spain Is capItaliStic war which has be-
smirched the talr name Of the United
states. The soldiers came mainly from
the working classes, ana they received
death in return for the Self-sdcrilce,
while the officers got little cheap glory
Every citizen should protest with his
last breath against the brutality Of the
war and enueaVOr to overcome the dan
ger which turks behind the scheme i
namely, military despousm. II ii be
treason to protest against ruthless mur
der, rapine, invasion OF the rights Of peo-
PIE, against the military drIlnng OF our
children in our public schools and the
other evils that beset our land, then We
plead guilty ana, in the language of Pat
rick Henry make the most of it,. "
A. r. Andre next referred 10 the lncOn-
sIsiency of the peace conference now in
session at Ihe Hague behind closed
doors while the very powers interested in
il are busy making implements of war
and building battleships.
If the Socialists haG been in power"
he said. this terrible disgrace would
never have been visited upon US in this
war. The American nation will get no
benefit from it. The private ownership
OF the means Of production and distribu-
tiOn. which was the incentive of the war.
should be abolished. All wars should be
discOuntenanced. and the remedy for cap
italism is socialism,
VI. W. Wilkins was the last speaker,
and he deplorcd the fact that humanitar-
ianism was not the inspiring motive Of
the war The war had but one pur-
pose he said, ITO open up new fields
of exploitation for the capitalists and
make them the masters therein. / very
much doubt the consistency of a govern
ment which goes to the rescue of an op-
pressed foreign people and is so callous
10 the welfare Of her own suffering peo-
pie on her own soil. Four or five miflfon
people right here within our own confines
are denied the chance Of earning an hon
est living. l must inVeigh against tho
whereby ten have died i'm the camp or in
the hospital for every one that died on
the battlefield. l protest against such a
terrible condition OF things in the name
of the soldier who has gone to his last
sleep and in the name Of the grief-strick
en- orphan. the widow. the mother and the
sweetheart.
War will disappear only when the
blood-red banner Of international frater-
naliSm shall wave its sacred folds over
the Federation of the World"