Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-11-01
ADDRESS TO INDEPENDENT
VOTERS.


Philippines. our prior acquisitions
were of adjacent territory for the eX-
tension of the area of constitutional
government and creation Of new states
of the Union. We made their few in
habitants citizens: our people settled
them: we there established the institu-
lions of freedom. For the first time
in our history IL is now proposed that
the President and Congress shall rule
vast territories and millions OF men
outside of our constitutional system.
Officials sworn to support the consti-
tuition and deriving all their powers
therefrom have acquired colonies and
assumed arbitrary authority TO gov
crn their inhabitants without consent
and TO tax them without representa-
ton. This policy offers to the people
of Porto Rico and the Philippines no
hope Of independence, no prospect OF
American citizenship, no representa-
tiOn In the congress which taxes them.
This Is the government OF men by arbi-
trary power; this Is imperialism.
We believe that 1t Is the first duty
of the American people to stamp with
their disapproval doctrines so hostile
to liberty and dangerous to constitu-
tional government. II they are to
remain free and their government Is
to continue representative, their SER
wants must not have or exercise any
but constitutional powers. Between
the claim of freedom that all men are
entitled TO equal political rights and
qhc dogma of tyranny that might
makes right, there Is no middle
ground.
We have not prior TO this year sup
ported the candidacy Of Mr. Bryan
We do not now concur In certain OF
his views on minor issues. Yet his
position on the supreme issue of the
present campaign Is SO sound, and
his advocacy Of 1t has been SO able
and courageous that we now favor his
election MS the most effective way Of
showing disapproVal Of Mr.. Me-
Kinley's course. Without claiming
any special political influence, we
unite, for what our example may be
worth to our fellow citizens, in this
statement of proposed action in the
presence of " ~ greater danger than
we have encountered since the Pill
grims landed at Plymouth the danger
that we are to be transformed from a
republic, founded on the Declaration
Of independence, guided 10y the coun-
sells of Washington, into vulgar,
commonplace empire, founded on
physical force. We invite the CO.
operation Of all independent voters
to avert the impending danger.
George S. Boutwell,, Boston, Tx
Gov. and EX-Sec OF the Treasury;
Iil,,l,,a - Ilnut1ns
Melville B. Anderson, Leland Stan
ford University;
Francis Fisher Browne, Chicago,
Editor of The Dial
John Beatty, ohio, General in civil
war and EX-Congrcssman
William Birney Washington, Dc:
ID. II. Bremnor, Chicago;
Albert S. Cook, Yale University;
ID. II. Chamberlain, Massachusetts;
Henry b. Cabot, Boston;
Starr Willard Cutting, University
OF Chicago;
Noah K. Davis, University of Vir-
ginia;
John Dewey, University of Chicago;
Dana Estes, Boston;
Louis II. Enrich, Colorado;
Joseph S, Fowler, Washington, d,
&. EX-united States Senator;
Edwin l.. Godkin, New York, For
mer Editor The Nation and New Y ork
Evening Post;
William Lloyd Garrison, Boston;
Judson Harmon, Cincinnati, Tx
Attorney General u. s.;
Il. u. Huntington, Syracuse, Bishop
of L. y. Church;
ThomasW entworth Higginson, Bos-
ton;
William Gardner Hale, University
of Chicago;
George Lincoln Hendrickson, Uni
versity of Chicago;
Henry L. Johnson, Indiana, EX-
Congressman;
Edward II. James, Seattle, Wash;
William II, Lord, Portland, Orc;
Louis Il. Larson, Minneapolis, tx
Judge;
John V. LcMoyno, Baltimore, Ex-
Congressman;
Charles f. Lummis, Los Angeles,
Editor Land of Sunshine;
Joseph Lee, Boston;
George Gluyas, Mercer, Pa,
Thomas A. Moran, Chicago, Tx
Judge;
Edwin u. Mead, Boston, Editor
New England Magazine;
Charles eliot Norton, Harvard
University;
Henry LOomis Nelson, New York;
Warren Olncy, SanFranCisco;
William Morton Payne, Chicago;
Franklin Pierce, New York;
Arthur Latham Perry, Williams
College;
IL, A. Rattcrmann, Cincinnati:
u. Nj. Rose, Lone Rock
Rufus B, Smith, Cincinnati, Judge
Superior Court;
Edward Nj. shepard, Now York;
Moorfeld Storey, Boston, EN-presi-
dent American Bar Associations
Edwin Burritt Smith, Chicago;
Albert II. Tolman, University of
Chicago
Edwin L. Uhl, Grand Rapids, EX-
Ambassador TO Germany;
John J. Valentine, President Wells
Fargo Express Company:
William Woke, Chicago;
G. II. S. Wood, Portland, Oregon;
Lew Wallace, Jr., Indianapolis;
Charles d. Wildly, Cincinnati;
George l., Wellington, L. $, Sena-
L