The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-25
JEFFERS0NIANS RECORD
THEMSELVES AS OPPOSED
TO ENTANGLING ALLIANCES

u en- lANGLIN6 ALLIANGES
At a largely attended meeting Of
| the Thomas Jefferson Centennial
league in the Park Theatre hall, Thos.
| O'Brien presiding, strong resolutions
| were adopted protesting against the
proposed $7,00O.0Oo appropriation for
Great Britain and against the passage
of the Free Tolls proposal for the
Panama Canal. and particularly
against "entangling alliances with the
powers of the Old World"
Charles J. Byrne led in the singing
of fThe Star Spangled- Banner with
which the meeting was opened. The
meeting closed with the singing OF
my Country, IT'S of Thee
Following is the declaration unan-
imously adopted:
1--WE citizens of Bridgeport, assem-
bled to honor the memory of George
washington proclaim our unwavering
eminent set forth in the Declaration
Of Independence and to the Constitu-
ton of the United States.
we affirm our conviction that the
warning against Entang1ing Alliances
with the Powers of the Old World
conveyed to the American people in
Washington's Farewell Address has
been fully justified by the progress
made by this Republic, largely by
strict adherence to that policy, during
the past century. It is more than
ever necessary now, when the con-
hicting interests of the great powers
have turned Europe practically into
an armed camp and made the out
break of war on a colossal scale a
strong probability in the near future.
In such war American interests
could only be protected by strict neu-
trality.
1--WE favor the peaceful settlement
of all differences that may arise with
foreign governments but we are un-
alterably opposed to the arbitration
of any question involving the vital in
terests, the honor, the domestic pol
icy or the territorial integrity of the
United States, or the conclusion of an
Arbitration Treaty with any European
Power that might be interpreted as
binding this country by special ties
OF friendship with that power, or cal
culated to injure, even incidentally.
the interests of any other nation; and
we protest in an especial manner
against any extension of the prov1s-
ions OF the existing Arbitration Urea
ty with Great Britain or of the Treaty
ratified by the Senate in March, 1912,
but not yet put in force.
eve oppose the passage of the Bill
introduced into the Senate by Mr..
Root to repeal the Free Tolls portion
of the Panama Canal Act; we pro-
test against the proposition to SUD-
init to arbitration an Act of the Unit
ed States Congress affecting the do
nestle policy of the country and the
regulation of it's shipping, and we
heartily approve and endorse the at
titude on this question of Senator
James A. O'Gorman of New York and
Representative James r. Mann of IL
1inois.
eve emphatical1y protest against
the proposed appropriation by Con-
gress of 100000 for the celebration
of One Hundred Years of Peace with
England, and against the appropria-
ton of any public money whatever.
either by State or National authority,
for any such purpose. We protest In
an especial manner against the pro-
posed joint naval and military re-
views in connection with that cele-
bration as a direct menace to the
peace of the world and a deliberate
attempt to aid England in her quar-
rel with Germany over questions
which involve no American interest,
and we brand the. whole movement as
a thinly disguised attempt to bring
about an Anglo-American Alliance,
fraught with disaster and dishonor to
this Republic.
1--WE favor the proper celebration by
the Government and people of the
United States of the centennial of the
Battle of New Orleans, of the writing
of the National Anthem, 1.-The Star
Spangled Banner and of the burning
down of the Capitol in Washington by
the British Army. We are anxious
to be at peace with England, well
as with the rest of the world, but we
insist that the nation which sought
% destroy this Republic during the
Civil war and which swept American
commerce from the sea with vessels
English guns and manned by British
seamen. while the other nations of
Europe, except the French Empire,
were friendly, shall not be selected
for special marks of friendship when
its Government is VIGOROUSLY prepar-
ing for war, and alone all of the
Governments of the world, is contest
ing our control of the Panama Canal.
1--WE favor the eventual removal of
all monarchical authority from the
American, Continent and the acqdisi-
ton by purchase of Bermuda, Jamai-
ca, the Bahamas, st. Thomas, the Be
lie and all other insu1ar or continent
al territory now held by European
governments and which may be used
as bases of operations against the
Panama Canal, or for attack on the
United States, and we assert that such
acquisition is absolutely necessary, not
only for the safety of the Canal, but
for the adequate protection of the in
terests of the American people.
Resolved, That copies of this Dec
Iaration be sent to Senator O'Gorman
for presentation to the Senate, to
Representative Mann for presentation
r. faa House of Renrezeufa lives 10