Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-05-04

| kinsOn, vice president OF the anti-Im-
periallst league of this city, when
! shown Washington dispatch stating
that the postmaster general had direct
ed that certain pamphlets prepared by
| Atkinson be taken from the mails for
| Manila, said that he had received no
| direct communication from Washing
! ton about the matter. He explained
that the documents We're compilations
Of facts and figures taken from the de-
bates in the national house and senate
and calling attention to points over
| looked in the debate. by the action
Ol the senate" Atkinson continued,
these compilations were published as
| senate documents, and they are now
| public documents oil the United States.
| Any action taken towards keeping
| them out Of the mails would imply
| that congressional records and Official
documents Of the United States are
| unsuitable to be sent to the officers OF
the volunteer regiments now at Manila,
whose terms OF service have expired
and whose return to this country Is de-
mandCu by the officials of certain
discharge. 1t is said that the dis
patch of these pamphlets from this
country to the Philippine islands is
barred lest they should create discon-
tent and even mutiny among the sol
diers, that being, as stated by the
l,, 4 t,,
publication. There are two pamphlets
only. The first edition of the first,
printed in November, is dedicated to
President Mckinley, in support of his
statement that 'forcble annexation
would be criminal aggression The
second pamphlet was issued late in
February. when it appeared that acts
Of criminal aggression were being
committed in the Philippine islands.
Both documents were submitted to the
attention of the senate and were the
subject of debate and printed as SEN
ate documents. These pamphlets
were on April q and % addressed by
me to Admiral George Dewey, Presi-
dent Schurmann. Prof. Worcester
Gen. II. G. Otis, Gen. Iawton, Gen.
Miller and the correspondent of the
New York illustrated weekly in Ma
Mia. desired to send them to other
officers and for that purpose notified
the war department of my intention
and asked for list that would give
the names. If it Is unlawful for a cit
Aen of the United States to communi-
cate with other citizens in Manila by
sending them documents OF a private
edition which they have had printed
to order of United States senate public
documents, | am content to leave that
exact point, which requires no com
ment from me- II this attempt to for
bid free speech and free mails to the
people of this country has been made,
which | cannot believe, ! think the
people will decide themselves what to
do about it.
Postmaster Generals Statement.
Washington, May 3. The postmaster
general has directed the postmaster at
San Francisco To take out of the mails
for Manila three pamphlets issued by
Edward Atkinson Of Boston, vice pres
ldent Of the Anti-lmperialistic league,
This order does not apply to the circu-
lation of the pamphlets by mail in this
country, but bars their dispatch from
this country to the Philippines, discon
tent ana even mutiny among the sol
dieds being stated by the department
to he the design OF these publications.
The three pamphlets are specifically
described and in no circumstance are
they to be forwarded by mail to the
Philippines.
The three pamphlets are those which
have the following titles; Criminal
Aggression by Whom" The Cost of
National Crime ana The Hell of
War and Its Penalties" The matter
was brought 10 the attention OF the
postal department by the war depart
ment Postmaster General Smith
made this statement TO the Associated
Press. These pamphlets would prob
ably incitc mutiny and 1t would be Ut
terly unmstitlable to permit their cir
culation among the soluiers in the
Philippines, Their circulation would
induce the soldiers to disobey
DRYERS and resist the government in
whose service they are engaged. Not
only are they designed to incite mutiny
among the American soldiers in those
islands, but also toment and encourage
the insurrection on the part of the
filipinos themselves. do not believe,
however. there is any intention to
prosecute Atkinson. The authority to
do SO, however, is plain. He not only
attacks the president and the govern
ment IN most virulent language ana
disputes the national policy, but also
calls on the American troops to defy
the governments