Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-18
LAUNCH ANTl.WAR CRUSADE
Opposition of Ant-Expansionists Takes
Tangible Form at Chicago,
J, STERLING MORTON MAKES sPEEcl
Former Secretary of Agriculture
Also Prcsidcs Mt Evening Session
and Introduces Carl Schurz-
Boutwell, Not Present,

CHICAGO, Oct, 1.-THE opposition Of the
expanslonists to the subjugation Of the
Filipinos took tangible form today in the
meeting of about leo delegates from different
parts Of the country to launch crusade
| against the policy OF the administration in
the Philippines. The meeting was called to
order in Central Music hall by Temporary
Chairman Edwin Burritt Smith Of Chicago.
The committee on organization of the con-
ference was appointed as follows: George
G. Mercer, Philadelphia Frank n. Scott,
Chicago; Dana Estes, Boston, Louis r.
Enrich Colorado Springs, Colo, and Paul
+. Koste, st. Louis.
Owing to the illness of his wife George
II. Boutwell, could not be present but
letter from him was read
]. Sterling Morton presided at the evening
session and, upon introducing Carl schurz
who delivered the address of the evening.
spoke as follows:
Each day is page and every year chap
ter in that vast volume of time called a
century In our generation the final pages
of the concluding chapter of the nineteenth
! century are written.
lcctual growth and Of a constantly i'm
proving civilization. in which the tender
Nazarene have been thrown like light into
| the uttermost parts of the earth, we Wit
| ness the most phenomenal paradox in gov
| ernmentS which the race has ever eXper.-
enced. The mailed hand Of great empire,
directed by the benevolent mind of the czar
/ of Russia inscribes peace on earth and
/ good Will to man across the closing pages
OF the nineteenth century, as It's earnest and
sincere aspiration. The government of
army in Se wUr %h fsarSs @S 9gsSr fsr
| disarmament and proposed universal peace.
But the great republic of the United States,
| founded by Washington, franklin, Jefferson
and their compatrots, declares for war,
| conquest, subjugation and annexation.
Russia Russia would be the peace-maker; the
| United States the war-maker In all his
tory there is not another so striking and
/ inexplicable an antithess. Never before in
! the annals of the world have been recorded
two such departures by establish govern
ments from the revered principles, policies
and cherished traditions of their founders
Imperialism turns from war and conquest
to eXalt peace, but democracy seemingly
drifts toward despotism and would hold
conquered peoples as subjects and their do
mains as provinces
| Under these circumstances this assembly
OF citizens has been convoked They have
sans to promote the power of political or.
sanitation, but as American citizens. as
patriots to promote the welfare of their
countrymen and to advise for the better es.
| tahlishment and safer perpetuation of this
government by the people. They have the
right to thus peaCeably assemble and. with.
out taunt or d.sparagement of those who
may differ with them, to make solemn in.
quiry as to what is the best course for this
dangers to its most vital principles through
the subversion of either its legislative or its
executive powers
That there are, thousands of patriotic
citizens Of the United States who do not be
lieve that it is wise to acquire distant. in
a part of this republic no one " can doubt
The phrase. United States'' originally dis
t:nctly conveyed the idea of a government
erected out of contiguous or adjacent terri
tory. There could never have been created
a federal government Of united. states on
OF Mexico and those in the Pacific Archi
pelago. And the question now is:' Can thu
United States absorb. assimiate. and con
} troll such islands and govern them and the
millions of people and maintain a "repub
lican form of government? Can the United
states continue and stand upon the con
sent Of part Of the governed and upon tn
subiugation of the other part? ,' .t
We are assembled here for the purpose o
avoiding dangers to this sacred instrumen
and the institutions which it has ostab
lished and fostered. In the language o
"rhe nine,tteenth century glorhes th
eighteenth. The eighteenth proposed. tn
nineteenth min concludes. And my, last word
and progress. This day force, is called VIC
lence. 1t begins TO be judged. War is ar
r human race, orders the trial and draws u
the great criminal Indictment of con
) Guerors and CAPTAINS =, This witness His
: Factt:ous briliancy is disspated. In man
g cases the hero is species of assassin
The peoples begin to comprehend that In
creasing the magnitude of crime cannO
be its dimnution; that II to kill is crime
to kill much cannot be an eXtenuating eli
, cumstance; that If to steal is a shame t
invade cannot be a glory. The peoples be
gin to comprehend that homicide is hon
y serves nothing to call one's self Caesar q
. Napoleon and that in the eyes of the eterns
God the figure of murderer is nc
, changed because instead of a galows ca
there Is placed upon his head an emperor
crown. War is not good, 1t Is not usefl
| to make corpses. No oh. mothers wl
= surround me. it cannot be that war. tn
| robber, should continue to take from yo
your sons No It cannot be that wome
| should bear children in pain. that me
should be born, that people should plow an
= fields and the workmen enrich the cit.
", that industry should produce marvels. tn.
u genius should produce prod!gios, that II
y vast human activity should in presence
: the starry sky multiply efforts and Crei
:, tions, all to result in that frlghtful intern;
y tional exposition which IS called a battl'
= field
|. Let us stop the effuson of human bloc
!, Let the eighteenth century come TO the he.
II OF the nineteenth. The philosophers oil
. predecessors. are the apostles of the tru
e Let us invoke these llustrious shades. II
, them before monarChieS mediate wars, pr
l, claim the right Of man to life, the right
d conscience TO liberty the sovereignty or re;
o son, the holiness of labor, the benetiCenC
of peace; and since light issues from II
thrones let the light come from the tcmbs
u Carl Schurz then delivered a lengthy az