Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1900-08-24
American Patriots Will Sweep the John
Bull-McKinley Imperialism from
Our Republic.
The Spirit that Burned ia the Breasts ofthe
Bunker Hill Patriots is Abroad
in the Land.
Anti-Imperialist Convention Opens at In
dianapolis With a Stirring Address
by Edwin B. Smith.

by Edwin
The first session Of the anli-imperial-
ist convention met in Indianapolis
Aug. is. Between 800 and 400 dele.
gates were present. Besides the regu-
lar members Of the league, many MEM
bers Of the national party were
present The session was open and
many visitors occupied seats in the
gallery.
George G.. Mercer of Philadelphia
called the meeting to order and after
prayer by Rev. s. Bigelow Of Cincin-
natl, the Declaration of Independence
was read by Prof. Albert II. Tolman
Of the University Of Chicago. Edwin
Burritt Smith Of Chicago was selected
for temporary chairman. and Erving
Winslow Of Boston and w. J. Mize Of
Chicago for temporary secretaries. The
committees on resolutions and creden-
tials were then appointed.
STIRRING AND PATRIOTIC SPEECH BY
CHAIRMAN SMITH.
Mr.. Smith said in part: I'VE meet
an unforeseen crisis in the progress Of
liberty. The Anerican commonwealth
for more than . century pursued its
course with liberty - its watchword.
Il stood in advaAce Of all other nations
q the exponent Of justice and peace.
Two years ago without warning. . sor-
did oommerciaMsm, which in moment
Of panic had Rrasped the reigns Of
power. sought to make ours - other
nations are. It was under such cir
cumstances. 10 quote Senator Hoar.
that . greater danger than we en-
oountered since the Pilgrims landed se
Plymouth. appeared; whom. to BE- spa
cific. his friend in the White house
began to transform (again to use tho
senator's words) the republic. founded
on the Declaration Of Independence.
guided by tho counsels Of Warrington.
into vulgar, oommonplace empire.
founded upon physical force
1.-The painful events in this trans
formation. tho unexplained contrast
between the administration humanity
in Cuba and its criminal aggression In
the Philippines, and that shocking fate
Of our plain duty in Porto Rico and
the damnable treschery to our trusting
allies in Luzon; the continued slaught-
er Of the Filipines by the administra-
tion long after il pronounced at peace
the regions it had desolatel; the, wan
ton destruction Ct an established native
government and substitution Of moro
military force therefor, the hosting OF
the American flag over slavery and po-
lygamy; the prosecution In Cuba Of
what il called by Mr.. Mckinley, the
policy Of scu.tle.' while denouncing
those who would apply it to the Phil
ippinss; the systematic Withholding Of
the truth to decisive the people; the
cowardly evasion Of responsibility for
deliberate acts BY charging their in
evitable consequences to the Provi
dence Of Cod tho contention that Of
ficers who are but its creatures may
assume and exercise powers outside and
in disregard Of the constitutions; the
final proposition that . republic may
lay clsim to imperial and despotic
authority over subject peoples-all this
and more to-day shocks the conscience
of the nation.
THE pity Of it is that it must forever
remain an authentic chapter Of Ameri-
can history. Thank God. the people
may yet rslegste it to the s,rapheap Of
history. stamped with the seal Of their
disspproval
.'Those who have deliberately set tho
country upon backward course now
ask the people to rasify their acts and
grant them further opportunity to en-
croach on the weak at the expense of
what is vital to American liberty.
Devoid of courage to defend what they
have done, they meekly charge to .
blind fatality the consequences of their
own deliberate acts
The supreme issue in this campaign
docs not turn upon the fitness Of the
Porto Ricans or Of the Filipinos for
selfgovernment. It is not them but
ourselves who are on trial. It often
happens that the character Of the
strong 10 brought to the test by their