Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-18

Meeting of Anti-EnpansIonist in Chi
cage Last Might

The opposition of anti-expansionists 70
the subjugation Of the Filipinos took tan
gibe form in Chicago yesterday in a meet
ing Of about 100 delegates from different
parts Of the country, To launch a crusade
against the policy Of the administration in
the Philippines. The meeting was called TO
| order in Central Music Hall by Temporary
Chairman Edwin Burritt Smith of Chicago.
The committee on organization OF the
conference was appointed as follows;
George G. Mercer Philadelphia: Frank H.
Scott, Chicago; Dana Estes. Bostoni
Louis R. Enrich, Colorado Springs, Col;
and Paul F. Coste, ST. Louis
Owing to the Illness Of his wife. George
H Boutwell, could not be present, but a
| letter from him was read.
j. Sterling Morton presided at the even-
ing session, and introduced Carl Schurz,
who delivered the address of the evening.
Mr.. SchurZ after reviewing at length
| the circumstances Of the capture Of Ma
| Mia, and the final acquisition Of the Phil
| tppines, said:
Let Us recapitulate. We go to war with
Spain in behalf Of an oppressed colony Of
! hers. We sOlemnly proclaim this to be
war-nOt of Conquest-CiOd fOrbidi-bu. OF
liberation and humanity. We Invade the
| Spanish colony of the Philippines. destroy
the Spanish fleet. and invite the co-opers-
| ton of the Filipino Insurgents against
SPAN. " accept their effective aid al
| lies. all the while permitting them to be-
! leve that, in case OF victory. they will be
free and independent. BY active fighting
| they get control OF a large part OF the in-
! terror country, from which Spain IL viz
| tually Ousted When have captured
| Manila and have no further use for our
| Filipino allies. our President directs that
| behind their backs a treaty be made with
Spain transferring their country to uss
and even before the treaty is ratified, he
tells them that in place Of the Spaniards
| they must accept US as their masters
| and that if they do not, they Will be COM
| PEELED by force of arms. They refuse and
We shoot them down; and, as President
Mckinley. said at PitJsburg. We shall con-
tinue to shoot them down without use
| less parley.'
We have often been taunted with hav-
ing no positive policy to propose But
such a policy has more than once been
proposed. and l can only repeat it.
Let there be AT once an armistice be-
tween our forces and the Fiipinos Let
the Philippine Islanders at the same time
be told that the American people will be
glad to them establish an independent
government. and to aid them in that
task as far as may be necessary; that,
II the different tribes composing the pop
ulation Of the Philippines are disposed,
as at least most Of them, if not all, are
likely TO be, TO attach themselves in some
way to the government already existing
under the presidency of Aguinaldo, we
shall cheerfully accept that solution Of
| the question, and even, If required lend
our good offices to bring il about: and
that meanwhile shall deem il our duty
to protect them against interference from
other foreign pOwers-in other words, that
with regard to them we mean honestly TO
live up TO the righteous principles with the
profession Of which We commended to the
world our Spanish war.
And then let us have in the Philippines
TO carry out this program, not a small poll
tcian, nor a meddlesome martiret but a
statesman Of large mind and genuine SYM
pathy, who Will not merely deal in sanctf-
monIous cant and oily promises with a
string to them, but who viii prove by his
acts that he and We are honest: who win
keep In mind that their government is not
merely 10 suit US, but to suit them: that
II should not be measured by standards
which we ourselves have not been able to
reach. but be government of their own,
adapted to their own conditions and no.
uons-whether 1t be true republic like
ours or better. or "A dictatorship like that
OF Poririo Diaz, in Mexico, or an oligar-
chy, like the one maintained by us in Ha-
wall, or even something like the boss rule
we are toerating in New York and PENN
sSlVania."