The Penn's Grove record., 1900-08-24
LIBERTY CONGRESS ENDORSES
BRYAN.
The Anti-Imperialists meet and Issue
An Address.

We'll, Oh DOStOH. lboPuoiiN
or. or Massachusetts, and Secretary of
the Treasury under President U. S.
Grant. was permanent chairman. w.
Bourke Cuchran, the voted orator Of
New York, who bolted Mr.. Bryan four
years ago sent a strong letter in which
he set forth his reasons why he would
support him this year.
He said: "There is no issue which
the popular verdict will settle irrevo-
cably, and that is the issue of imperi-
alism. If the Republican party be sue.
cessfnl, its control Of the judicial as
we'll as of the executive and legislative
departments of the Government wilt be
absolute, and its disposition to exercise
all it's powers for the enforcement OF an
imperialistic policy cannot be doubted.
At the end of four years Imperialism
will be so firmly imbedded in our POI
litical life that it can never be expelled.
Mr.. Bryan's election of itself would put
a quietus on the imperialistic adventure.
"Sinco the election of Mr.. Bryan is
certain to deliver the country from the
imminent peril of Imperialism, al the
Liberty Convention hesitate to support
him because of impalpable danger arts.
ing from his opinions on subjects with
which as President, he cannot possibly
deal.n
AN ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
The platform as adopted follows:
This Liberty Congress Of anti-imper-
ialists 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 c0un-
try's history the President has under
taken to subjugate a 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 Islands. He has arrogated to him.
self the power to impose upon the in
habitants of the Philippines govern
ment without their consent and tax.
alton 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 Con-
gress authority to govern the territories
of the United States without cOnstitu-
tional restraint.
We believe in the Declaration OF In
dependence. Its truths, not less self
evident to-day then when first announc-
ed by our fathers, are of universal ar-
plication and cannot be abandoned
while government by the people en-
dures.
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 juris.
diction of our Government certain es.
sential rights. We deny that either the
President or Congress can govern any
person anywhere outside tn6 Constitu-
ton.
We are absolutely opposed to the pol
icy of President Mckinley. which pre-
poses to govern millions of men without
their consent. which in Porto Rico es-
tablished taxation without representa-
tion and government by the arbitrary
will of a Legislature unfettered by con-
stitutlonai restraint, and In the Philip
pines prosecutes a val Of conquest and
demands unconditional surrender from
a people who are of a right free aid in
dependent. The struggle of men for
freedom has ever been a struggle for
constitutional liberty. There is no lib
erto if the citizen has no right which
the Legislature may not invade, if lie
may be taxed by a Legislature in which
he is not represented. or if he is not pro-
tected by fundamental law against the
arbitrary action of executive power.
The policy Of the President offers the
inhabitants of Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines no hope of indepen-
dence, no prospect of American citi-
zens, no constitutional protection, no
representation in the Congress which
taxes him. This is the government OF
men by arbitrary power without their
consent; this is Imperialism.
There is nc room under the free FLAG
of America for subjects. The Presi.
dent and Congress. who derive all their
powers from the Constitution, can gov
ern no man without regard to it's limit.
atioDs.
We believe that the greatest safe
guard of liberty is a free press, and we
demand that the censorship in the Phil.
ippines which keeps from the American
people the knowledge of what is done
in their name be abolished.
We are entitled to know the truth,
and we insist that the powers which
the President holds in trusts for us
shall be not used TO suppress it.
MCKINLEY's DEFEAT THE SUPREME
PURPOSE.
Because We thus believe, we oppose
the reelection Of Mr.. Mckinley. The
supreme purpose of the people in this
momentons campaign should be to
Stamu with their final disannrnya hi