The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-04
ISOLATION MADE US GREAT.
Congressman Boutelle Tells Why He
Is an Anti-Impcrialist
Means an Entire Revelation OF Our
system of Government--we Had No
Business to Take Manila.

Means an Entire Revolution OF Our
system of Government--we Had No
Business to Take Manila.
Boston. January a-At the yearly ban
qust Of tho Merchants A Associstion of
Boston, ct the vendome tonight, num-
bsr Of interesting addresses on the future
policy Of the country were MADE BY gen.
tismen Of prom inenoe In national affairs.
Both sides Of the question dealing with
the oountry's new possessions wero dis
cussed In an able manner to the edifca-
tion OF the business men Of the city. The
guests Of the association. outside Of the
state, were Senator p srkins Of California,
and Consressmsn DeArmond Of Mis-
souri, and Boutelis Of Maine. In the nb-
ssnce Of Gov. wolcott tho commonwealth
was represented by Attorney General
Knowlson. while Mayor Quincy spoke
for the city.
Gen. Knowiton and Mayor Quincy
were outspoken for the aoquirement Of
the Philippines. Senator Perkins was In
favor Of dropping them where they are.
Mr.. DeArmond didn't believe in giving
them back to Spain, but favored setting
them up iu business for themselves MIR.
| Boutelle said, In part:
1--WE have heard good deal intimated
about this Philippine question, but l
confess nave never heard anything said
about 1t until tonight. have not yet
heard from any body any reasonable sug.
gestiop. and cannot conceive Of any
why we should annex the Philippine ISL.
ands
"I confess that am an anti-imperi-
Alist. I have been q good deal Of Re-
publican In my day. In fact, most Of my
time | have given In adhesion to the
Republican party. II we have not any
nation what are we going to expand.
Are we going to expand Dakota or some
of the Middle st.tesf 10 is utterly un-
worthy Of the dignity Of American citi-
zenship for us to treat question OF this
kind in the way 1t Is being done today.
don't know Of anything that has o O.
CURED since the declaration Of war that
has in the slightest indicated that the
merioan people are precluded from gov
erning their own country in their own
way. The secretary Of the navy or some
body in the navy department, when wal
was declared ordered Dewey to sail and
found 1t. This was dictated BY every
idea Of reason and prudence, and he d Id
so. Did any body suggest at that time
that Dewey should 60 and capture Luson
or Manila or make Manila principally
of state. The Congress Of the United
States never gave the permission to go
into the harbnI of Manila or capture
those islands. We were to release Cuba
| "Our minister to Spain. Gen. Steward
L. Woodford, In my presence, at meet
| ing In Boston, said We had progressed to
| u point where Spain had yielded every
thing the United States demanded; that
II the Congress of the United States had
| left the question alone to the President {
We would have had o state of govern.
| In shree. or six months the flag of Spain
| would have possibly come down. No man
certainly at the time war was declared
| ever dreamed of the annexation OF the
Philippine islands. Yet IL Is said now
that we are absolutely committed SO
| that we cannot avoid annexation OF these
islands l do not believe It, believe
that the policy of isolation was the poll
cy that made us grand and great.
are many disadvantages in this whole
+, thing. We are going to throw the pro-
tective policy to the winds. The last time
the President was here We had Home
Market club--with gold letters ON ma
room hack ground. Now we ore going to
have the open door policy
81 believe we can settle this question
and get rid OF the whole fuss with Spain
without changing the funda mental prin-
from the traditions Of the great men
who founded this government, and II we
| viii, only use a little common sense, and
put on our thinking caps. We will do what
| Is best for tho great. free, intelligent, pa
triotic. liberty loving people. under
Angio.saxon laws and the American
flag"