The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-08-29
MCKINLEY ARRAIGNED.
Ringing Platform Against Impe-
rialism Adopted by the Lib
crty Congress.

rialism Adopted by the Lib
crty Congress.
The Liberty Congress-" which met
in Indianapolis Aug. 10, composed
mainly of Republicans and Gold Stan.
dard Democrats who opposed Bryan
in 1896, adopted the following ringing
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
This liberty congress of anti.impe-
rialists recognizes a great national
crisis which menaces the republic
upon whose future depends in such
large measure the hope of freedom
throughout the world. For the first
time in our country's history the Pres
ident has undertaken to subjugate
foreign people and to rule them by
despotic power. He has thrown the
protection of the American flag over
slavery and polygamy in the Sulu Is
lands. He has arrogated to himself
the power to impose upon the inhab-
itants of the Philippines government
without their consent and taxation
without representation. He is waging
war upon them for asserting the very
principles for the maintenance of
which our forefathers pledged their
lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honor. He claims for himself and
Congress authority to govern the ter
ritories of the United States without
constitutional restraint.
1--WE believe in the Declaration of
Independence; IT'S truth is not less self
evident today than when first announ
ced by our fathers, and it's universal
application cannot be abandoned while
government by the people endures.
We believe in the constitution of the
United States. 1t gives the President
and Congress certain limited powers
and secures to every man within the
jurisdiction of our government certain
essential rights. We deny that either
the President or Congress can govern
any person anywhere outside the Con
stitution.
1--WE are absolutely opposed to the
policy of President Mckinley, which
proposes to govern millions of people
without their consent; which in Puer-
to Rico establishes taxation without
representation and government by the
arbitrary will of a legislature un.
fettered by constitutional restraint
and in the Philippines prosecutes a
war of conquest and demands uncon.
ditional surrender from a people who
are of right free and Independent.
THE struggle of men for freedom
has ever been struggle for constitu
tional liberty. There is no liberty il
the citizen has no right which the leg
islature may not invade; if he may be
taxed by legislation in which he is not
represented or if he is not protected
by fundamental law against the ar
bitrary action of the executive power
The policy of the President offers the
inhabitants of Puerto Rico, Hawaii
and the Philippines no hope of indie
pendence, no prospect of American
citizenship, no constitutional protec.
ton, no representation in the Con
gress which taxes them. This is the
government of men by arbitrary power
without their consent; this is imperial
ism.
&c hA fpnr
flag of America for subjects. The
President and Congress, who derive
all their powers from the Constitution,
can govern no man without regard to
its limitations.
"We believe that the great safe
guard of civil liberty is the press, and
we demand that censorship in the
Philippine Islands which keeps from
the American people the knowledge of
what is done in their name be abolish
ed.
"We are entitled to know the truth,
and we insist that the powers which
the President holds in trust for US
| Sboil oC lob uocu " suppress IL.
Because we thus believe, we oppose
the re election of Mr.. Mckinley. The
supreme purpose of the people in this
momentOus campaign should be to
stamp with their final disapproval his
attempt to grasp imperial power. A
self governing people can have no more
l,,tu fa lpix
public life chief magistrate who,
whether in weakness or of wicked pur-
pose, has used his temporary author
ity to subvert the character of their
government and to destroy their ma
tional ideals.
1--WE, therefore, in the belief that it
is essential at this crisis of the Amer
lean people, urge them to declare
their faith in the usual application of
the Declaration of Independence and
to re assert their will, that their ser
wants shall not have or exercise any
powers whatever other than those con
ferred by the Constitution, earnestly
to our countrymen:
Il. That without regard to to their
views on minor questions of domestic
policy, they withhold their votes from
Mr.. Mckinley, in order to stamp with
their disapproval what he has done.
" - That they vote for those can
didates for Congress in their respect
i've districts, who will oppose the pol
icy of Imperialism.
3. While we welcome any other
method of opposing the reelection of
port of Mr.. Bryan as the most effect
i've means of crushing imperialism.
"We are convinced of Mr.. Bryan's