Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-02
Matters Discussed at Today's Cabinet
Session.
SEDITI0US PAMPHLETS SEIZED
The Attorney General Says Atkinson
Could Be Indicted.
L H E B E EFF REPOR RT

There were four absentees from today's
cabinet session. Secretaries Alger, Long.
Gage and Wilson, but several interesting
matters were considered
Postmaster General Smith brought for
| ward the subject of probably greatest in
terest. This was the question of the al
legged sedftious matter issued by the Anti
lmperialist League at Boston. at the head
of which is Edward Atkinson Postmaster
General Smith said that he had not the
| least doubt that the recent pamphlet issued
by Mr.. Atkinson and mailed to the soldiers
at Manila was in violation of the laws of
this country. Strengthened in this view
by the Attorney General Mr. Smith said
that he had issued orders TO stop or seize
all this mail before it leaves San Francisco
The seizure will be made by officials of
the Post Office Department and the nam
phIets viii not reach their destination.
The action of Mr.. Smith was fully an
proved py the President and cabinet
Atkinson Could BE Indicted
Attorney General Griggs, speaking of the
matter later, said: There is no question tn
my mind that Mr. Atkinson could be in
olcted FOR breaking the laws of his country
cohFlcted and given heavy sentence The
law Is plain on the subject Inasmucb as
no harm has been done we will probably
treat Mr. Atkinson as baby. recognizing
that he Is not responsible and that he is
accomplishing nothing serious Mr.. Griess
referred to the section Of the statutes mn
der which such prosecution could bo
Drought Ihis Is section 1894. under the
he""ihs oI crimes against the existence of
the government" and is as follows;
Every person who incites sets on foot
ar
the authority of the United States or the
laws thereof, or gives aid or cor,fo,., .to,.,
10, shail be punished by imprisouunent not
more than ten years or by a fine az ,iot
iIoIe Iaan sloOoo. or by both of such Nun
iShments: and shall, moreover he iucsTa
pie OF holding any office under the Trnitad
States" 'ie ChIteu
Inc Attorney General declared that this
3 SeC,ioh covers the case of Mr. Atkinson
ana the others who are advising Amerin.n-
IN the philippines not to re-enIisf And ~
are cfltlcising the policy Of the go,xrnp,nnJ
OF the United States. They are undonbt
against the government he said
AS heretofore stated IL is nor belia,.od
e cia''t any prosecutions will follow the action
Io5 La ne iostmaster General unless the al
IeSSo seultlouS articles grow more offensive,
ana dangerous each time and InIess tba
ahll-lmpcriaIists take action against The
government. 'iie
me POSTMASTER Generals Statement
postmaster General Smith stated at the
CABINET meeting that no antt-expansionist
literature sent in the mails in this conn
Try would be seized. This literature was
IN violation of law, he thought but # couId
do no harm in the United States. In ston-
ping the literature going to the PhiIin-
pines the administration position is that II
might nave caused discord in the arr,,,
ana @ next that II would have encouraged the
fllpinos TO continue their resistance Ia the
United States ~ 'iie
Some of the natives would undoubtedly
secure copies Of the pamphlet, which
would be construed by them into the idea
thdt the people of this country are really
opposed to the views of the administration.
me struggle would be prolonged. This is
What the administration unhesfta ttnsly
Prohounces as aiding in insurrection.
The Alaskan Boundary.
Secretary Hay again discussed the s,h-
Ject OF the Alaskan boundary, which seems
to be undergoing some diplomatic corre
spondence, and read a long report to minis
ters and consuls instructing them as to
passports for the natives of the new terri
tory acquired by this country permanently
and temporarily.
The Beef Report.
Just before the cabinet adjourned the
President picked UP the report of the beef
court from his desk and read a few of the
concluding paragraphs. There was little
discussion of the matter however and no
announcement was made as to when the
findings of the court will be made public
The Presidents Return.
President and Mrs. Mckinley and the
other members of the party who accompa-
MED them to New York returned to Wash |
ington at 7:3o o'clock this morning. The
party left New York at 10 o'clock last
,;.rls Lo
as rot to reach Washington too early The |
President and Mrs. Mckinley were driven |
at once to the White House One of the |
first things the President did was to call |
on Vice President Hobart at the latter's |
home on Lafayette Square. The Vice Pres |
ident continues to improve, but his recovery |
is slow.
Received Some Callers
On going to his office at 10 o'clock an
hour before the cabinet met the President |
received several visitors. One of these was |
Representative Curtis of Kansas and the |
other was Senator Proctor. Representative |
Curtis last Friday telegraphed the Pres |
ident requesting that Col Fred Funston.
the noted nero of the Philippine campaign. |
should be made brigadier general He |
had the pleasure this morning of learning |
that the President had ordered the appoint-
ment, and that Gen. Otis would be notified |
of the promotion. 1t is said to be the in |
tention of the Kansas representatives in |
Congress to later have Col. Funston placed |
in the regular army. They may do this by |
a special act of Congress.
Madden Did Not See Him.
One of the Presidents would-be visitors
this morning was Madden, the Detroit can
didate for the Washington post office The
President had been too busy to see him up |
to the time the cabinet met, and Madden
the Presidents doorkeeper that
he would return in the afternoon.
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ATKINSON'S PAMPHLETS