The record-union., 1899-01-23
To Protest Against the Acquisition Of TIE
Philippine Islands.
Resolutions Passed by the Assem-
blage Declaring Absolute and
Unqualified Opposition to the
Annexation of the Islands as a
Permanent Portion Of the Ma
tional Domain.


meeting of citizens was held in the
Academy of Music tonight, under the
auspices of the Continental League, for
the purpose of protesting against the
policy of imperialism and entangling
alliances with European Powers" The
hall was crowded. A list of Vice Pres
idents read included Wheeler H.
Peckham, Abram S. Hewitt. Henry
Loemis Nelson, William II. Horn
blower, Roger A. Pryor Francis Way
land Glenn, John c. Sheehan and Fred
erick r. Coudert.
A number of Vice Presidents were
announced as representing the Central
Labor Union, including Samuel Com
pers, President of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor; John M. Parsons,
General Master Workman of the
knights of Labor; Daniel Harris, Pres
ident of the State Federation of Labor.
Communications were read from ex-
President Grover Cleveland, Colonel
William j. Bryan and Bishop Henry
c. Potter, regretting their inability to
be present. Mr. Cleveland in his let
ter said:
Il am so opposed to the exapnsionist
craze now inflicting our body polite
that any organization formed in oppo-
sition to it has my hearty sympathy
and approval"
Colonel Bryan said that he was fully
in sympathy with every effort put forth
to save the nation from the dangers of
imperialism.
Bishop Potter wrote. '"The purposes
of the meeting have my hearty ap-
proval, and I should be glad, if I had
time, to say how strongly 1 feel that
the policy of Imperialism or expansion,
in any such sense as proposed at pres
ent, threatens equally the moral integ-
rity of the nation and the conditions
on which its prosperity has hitherto
rested''
Resolutions were adopted declaring:
First That the full discharge C our
obligations to the inhabitants of the
Philippines requires that we should
without delay, help them to secure in
their domestic affairs. first order. and
then liberty; and that we are abso-
lutely and unqualifiedly opposed to the
annexation of the Philippines as a per-
manent portion of the national do
main.
''Second-That we are unalterably op-
public of the American ideal of national
growth. in favor of the European ideal
of colonial conquest; we unreservedly
subscribe to the theory that a govern
ment derives all its just powers from
the consent of the governed, and to the
theory that there should be no taxation
without representation; and we be-
lieve. moreover, that such theories are
wholly applicable to the inhabitants of
all the places abandoned by Spain as
the result of the late war
''Third-That neither the Government
nor the people of the United States have
incurred any responsibility or obliga-
tions as to the result of the recent war
with Spain which requires any depart
nre or abandonment of the policies
and principles laid down for the guild
ance of the republic by Washington in
his farewell address to the American
people. .
Fourth-That We are opposed, there
fore, to the idea that the peace loving
and free people of the republic, who are
engaged in the grand task, as yet un-
completed. of developing their natural
resources and of establishing upon a
firm basis their own theory of govern
ment by, of and for the people, should
now, or under any conceivable circum-
stances, enter upon any alliance with
any European Power, the result of
which might be to embroil us in Eu-
ropean controversies, in which our real
interests are not concerned That we
place on record our high appreciation
and sincere thanks for the conspicuous
services rendered to the American peo-
pie by Senators Hoar. Hale, Mason and
Wellington. in preventing the new and
dangerous policy of Imperialism from
being forced through the Senate of the
United States without proper and ade-
quate discussion. and we commend to
all citizens of this republic the high
sense of public duty and enlightened
patriotism which have characterized
the action of these Senators in resist
ing innovations on our system of gov
ernment that are pregnant with de-
moralization and disaster.
Resolved. That copies of these reso-
1utions be sent to the President of the
United States, to members of the Cabi-
net and to both houses of Congress"
The first speaker was James B. Ens-
tis, former ambassador to France. He
opposed the expansion idea. and con-
tended that. the signing of the peace
protocol, after the suing FOR peace by
Spain, was in itself sufficient to decide
the questions involved.
Samuel Gompers, President Of the
American Federation of Labor, was the
next speaker. Mr.. Gompers said shat
1t is not at all improbable that the
Filipinos will yet become pars Of the
standing army of the United States,
and might yet be called upon to shoot
down American wage earners.
w. Bourke Cochran. the next speaker,
said: This heresy of imperialism
sweeping over the country is threaten
ing the stability of our institutions, ard
our measure of free government. 1t
is a policy of infamy. rhe question of
Imperialism and expansion, boiled down
to its. true import, is dangerous policy
to either adopt or pursue. The imper-
ialists tell you that trade follows the
rag. when, in fact, every American
knows that the opposite is the case.