The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-23
FAVOR The OLD WAY
THE EASTERN ANTI-IMPERIALIsT
MEET AND DICUss POLICY OF
THE GOVERNMENT
CARL scHURz Is A SPEAKER


Philippines Is Questioned by All
the Speakers-P1ans of Campaign
Are Discussed at Considerable
Length.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. PAN Eastern
conference of "anti-imperialists" began
here today, and will remain in session
two days. The conference is said by it's
promoters to be another step in the move
ment to bring the war in the Philippines
to an end.
The afternoon meeting was opened with
an address by George Cluyas Mercer,
president of the Philadelphia branch Of
the American Anti-Imperialist league.
Addresses were also made by Rev. Sam
ue1 Richard Fuller and Rev. Francis E.
Abbott, Of Massachusetts,; Talbot H.
Levison. Of Fort Hamilton. N. Y. and
an interesting pamphlet by ex-senator j.
B. Henderson. of Missouri was read by
j. A. Croffut. of Washington, D. C.
The evening meeting was addressed by
Herbert Welsh, Of this city, and Carl
Schurz. of New York
A private and Informal conference was
Guided, In which many of the prominent
members Of the league took part. The
chief subject of discussion was the COM
ing presidential campaign, In which Will
lam J. Bryan's name was frequently men
toned.
Ervtng Winslow, secretary of the New
England Anti-Imperialist league, said the
league might select Bryan as a standard
bearer. He also favors national con-
vention be held after the two great par
ties had selected their candidates and the
league could choose which Of the two to
support.
Tonight's conference was entirely in
formal, and none of the views were Off
cially Endorsed, but may be regarded as
forecasting the tone Of resolutions that
will be presented tomorrow.
ATKINsONs ADDRESS.
There were over 300 persons present at
the afternoon meeting. Letters were
read from Prof. Sumner of Yale; Senator
Pettigrew, T. A. Higginson, of Massa-
chusetts; Mayor J. NJ. Hood, of Nash
vile; Prof. J. Elliott Norton, of Cam
bridge; Congressman Fleming, of Geor-
gia; Congressman Slayden, of Texas, and
Edward Atkinson. of Boston. Mr.. Atkin-
son. In opening his letter, said:
II greatly regret that cannot attend
the anti-imperialist convention Of Feb. %.
1 earnestly impress upon you the import
ance Of putting efforts Into districts where
we can control elections, so We can hold
4, ho,o 70 ", he al
of representatives. / think we can ignore
the presidential question, although con-
TESS for myself that I am beginning to
think that an honest and sincere crank
may be safer man than a specfous, ptous
fraud, and shall act accordingly"
Continuing Mr.. Atkinson said that many
were opposed to the anti-imperialists be-
cause they have not learned the true con-
dition of the situation.
There are he continued, doubtless
very large numbers of men in the present
congress who mean to act justly and to
do right, but who have been SO deceived
and misled by the suppression and misrep-
resentation by the administration of the
doings of their opponents that they are
unable to get at the truth In the matter y
Letters were also read from others sug-
costing that the movement be extended
to the negro race.
HENDERSON PAMPHLET.
After Mr. Mercer had concluded his
opening address DR.. Croffut, of Wash
ington, read ex-senator Henderson,
pamphlet in which the latter took as his
subject, HAS the congress of the United
States the constitutional power to lay or
collect export or import duties on COM
merce passing between the states of the
union and the territories recently acquired
under the Spanish treaty."
1.-THE federal constitution" Mr.. Hen
derson said In his paper, authorizes con-
gress to lay and collect duties, imposts
and excuses. to pay the debt and provide
for the common defense and general well
fare of the United States.
1.-THE supreme court has decided that
while the District of Columbia and terri
tories are subject to the laws Of taxation
they were nevertheless protected from
oppression by the constitutional guaran-
tees of uniformity and equality OF ap-
portionment in the exercise of power.
'In the face Of this construction OF the
constitution 1t Is now deliberately pro-
posed, in the congress Of the United
States. to place our territories wholly out
side of the constitution, to govern them
and to .hofd and treat them as alien
provinces, and to subordinate their inter-
estg to the unlimited control of gov
eminent In which they are not to be rep
resented.
cit may be admitted that the question
Of sovereignty rests with the people OF
the United States, but as an American
am proud to know that the government of
the United States is not limited In It's
sovereignty In the United States there
is no limited sovereignty except that
which resides in the people themselves.
The government thus framed and put
into operation possesses sovereignty. but
only limited sovereignty.
''It Is urged that although the constitu-
ton is the admitted source of the treaty
making power, although in this trial the
constitution itself may be subverted. 1t
is insisted that the president and senate,
being the treaty-making powers, are not
restricted by those limitations imposed
upon congress. If any treaty or law Is
repugnant to the constitution 1t Is void.
1t is unlawful to give one portion or the
country advantages over another. It
would seem that the provisions of the
proposed Puerto Rican bill would be mug
atory and void.
eff the trainers of treaty of peace adj
mitted control over the territory 1t can
not be amended even with the aid of five