The San Francisco call., 1899-07-04
PROTESTS AGAINST
PRESENT POLICY
Address Adopted by the
Social Conference.
snee,al Dispatch TO The Call.

RTTFFAIO. n. Y. July Sat the meet
ing of the Social Conference to-day an d"-
dress read by Professor HERON crlIci"iI1s
the Philippine policy and the alleSeu Ten
dency TO autocracy was adopted puI t'lo
vote was subsequently reconsIdereu aIleI
q number of addresses denouncllS 9ucn
action Pandemonium ensued as hotlo'l
after motion was made and speaker aIter
sneaker was heard or suppressed tlnalI!
an address to the public was taken ny
serfatim. From time to time some del9-
gate would arise in a spirit OF desperation,
trying TO protest against the language OIL
the address.
The first paragraph denounced the war
II conquest and determination me
word determination was stricken out.
The words "lawless and irresponsible
were stricken from the paragraph re-
ferring to military control in Idaho
The address as adopted refers 10 the
two great evils of mihtarsm ana plu'oc
racy which now menace the existence OF
the republic"
The former, it declares, is expressed in
our war of conquest in the Philippines; IN
our continued government of Cuba; III the
private use of the United States army iot
the complete and instant overthrow or
civil government in Idaho and the eStaD-
lishment of military despotSm IN the cor
porate and private use OF military 1orce
to destroy and terroriZe organized LABOR
and in the mOnstrous pubnc corrupLohS
that have grown out of our Spanish and
"The nation the address continues,
that strikes at the liberties of another
nation commits national suicide. W. can
not too greatly emphasize the fact that
the militarism that seeks conquest abroad
has for its ultimate purpose the destruc-
ton of organized labor at home ana the
defense of the Government by inJunCtlons
of the Federal courts, which nave usurped
the functions of legislation and have set
aside the laws of the land"
g4r lfT lFAlF
in the demand for the granting of the
liberties pledged to the Filipinos. Mill
tarism is declared to be but the offsjring
and incident of the greater menace OF
plutocracy which has established monop-
oily government.
i'By economic force" SAYS the address,
based upon special privileges in law and
natural resources. upon indiscreet taxa
ton and consequent political competition,
monopoly Is centralizing the wealth of
the nation in the hands Of enormous
trusts, which are becoming irresponsible
economic despotsms; which are using
legislation, the judiciary and all the func
tions of government as the mere fnstru
ment of private profits; which are reduc-
ing the entire people to economic serf-
dom or enforced wage slavery"
Political liberty. the address declares,
lis a mOckery without economic liberty.
Even the further extension of the suf
frage, so as to grant political citizenship
TO women, which extension We urge and
advocate, will avail little or nothing with
out economic freedom to all We there
fore make urgent appeal to people to CO.
operate with US in the institution of such
movements and the support of such men
as shall propose, first, direct legislation
and proportionate representation; direct
taxation, public ownership of public utili
ties or monopoHes growing out of nat
ural resources and the existence of So
ciety; the sole control by the people,
through their government of their me-
dium of exchange, and for the upbuild-
ing and enduring establishment of free,
Just and progressive society based on
these elementary principles of political
and social democracy, we offer our serV-
ices and our citizenship and appeal to the
good viii inherent in the association of
men for liberty and the common good