The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-03


kinson continued. ''the compilations were
published as Senate documents and they
are now public documents OF the United
States. Therefore, any action towards keep
ing them out of the mails may imply that
congressional records and official docu-
ments of the United States are unsuitable
TO be sent 10 officers OF the volunteer regi-
ments now in Manila. whose terms of serv-
ice has expired and whose return 10 this
country is demanded by officials Of certain
States who say that the men are entitled
TO discharge.
'It is said that the dispatch of these
pamphlets from this country to the Philip
pine islands is barred lest they should
create discomfort and even mutiny among
the soldiers. that being stated by the de-
partment to be the design OF these publica-
tions. There are two pamphlets only. The
first edition of the first, printed in Novem-
ber. was dedicated TO President Mckinley
in support of his statement that 'forcible
annexation would be criminal aggression
The facts and figures given in that
pamphlet were made the frequent subject
of debate In the House of Representatives
and the Senate during the session. and the
pamphlet as a whole was finally printed by
order of the Senate as Senate document
No. 81.
"The second document was issued late in
February when II appeared that acts of
criminal aggression were being committed
in the Philippine islands, In that pamphlet
certain facts and statements were sub
mitted to the attention of the Senate and
were the subject of debate. and that
pamphlet again, by order of the Senate.
was printed as a Senate document. j have
a copy of No. 62 and have sent for a copy
of the latter.
''These pamphlets were on April "a and 25
addressed by me to Admiral George Dewey.
President Schurman, Professor Worcester,
Gen. II. G. Otis, General Lawton, General
Miller and the correspondent of New York
illustrated weekly in Manila. None others
has to my knowledge been sent TO any one
else. desired to send them to other Off
GERS. and for that purpose notified the War
Department of my intention and asked for
a list that would give me the names.
IF it is unlawful for a citizen of the
United States to communicate with other
citizens in Manila by sending them docu-
ments in private edition which have been
printed by order of the United States SEN
ate as public documents I am content to
leave the matter at that exact point, which
requires no comment from me- L would.
however. call the attention of the postTras-
ter general to the necessity OF requiring
that all newspapers lately printed here and
elsewhere which contain the late speech of
Senator Hoar given at the Republican Club
in Boston. in which he used this expressive
phrase, I can see no difference in lynching
a Southern postmaster and lynching a peo-
pie because they think a government de-
rves its just powers from the consent OF
the governed and got those ideas from the
Constitution of the United States, be taken
from the mails. IL this attempt to forbid
free speech and free mails to the people of
this country has been made, which cannot
believe, think the people will decide them
selves what to do about II.