Address adopted by the Anti-Imperialist League/ ^ & 
 
 FEBRUARY lO, 1899. 
 
 The full ratification of the Treaty with Spain will cause a technical change 
 in the relations of the United States to the Philippine Islands, but will afford no- 
 reason for any change of the purposes of the Anti-Imperialists in reganl to the 
 future of the islands, nor will it in the least alfect the clear duty of this 
 Kepublie. 
 
 We are now engaged in warfare with the inliabitants of those islands It is 
 unprofitable to discuss the question as to which party began hostilities. Xo other 
 result could have been expected, when the lines of two opposing luilitarv forces 
 were held so close and in such tense condition that little was needed to cause an 
 explosion. 
 
 Certain facts, however, are beyond dispute : that Aguinaldo was brought to 
 the islands by our own warship^ that his aid was accepted and desired in our 
 military operations against the Spaniards, and that liopes of independence were 
 encouraged by our consuls and other officers. It is equally indisputable that a 
 parliament of the islands, organized by representatives elected by IsG towns and 
 provinces, chose Aguinaldo President and framed a constitution, Mhich was pro- 
 mulgated, defining the powers and duties of the separate departments of the 
 government with remarkable clearness and ability ; that the government so formed 
 beyond a doubt represented fairly the people of the islands and probably with 
 quite as much fairness as tlic Continental Congress in Philadelphia, in 1775, rep- 
 resented t!ie people of the tliirteen States. 
 
 It is also undeniable that on January 5 President McKiuley issued a procla- 
 mation through General Otis, declaring that on the 10th of the previous month 
 the P]uli])pine Islands had been ceded to this country by Spain by the signature 
 of the Treaty of Paris, and further ordered him to extend the military govern- 
 ment of the United States "to the whole of the ceded territory," and to demand 
 the surrender of Iloilo, which was then held by the Filipinos in an orderlv man- 
 ner by capture fron^. the Spaniards. 
 
 It cannot be claimed in law that this assumption of power was warranted in 
 advance of the ratification of the Treaty by both parties, and there can he no 
 doubt that the arbitrary claim greatly aggravated the people of the islands, whose 
 hope of independence seemed thus rudely destroyed. 
 
 No declaratory resolution as to the future of the islands was assented to by 
 the Administration before the ratification of the Treaty by the Senate, and none 
 lias been made since. 
 
 Any right that we assert to ownership of the Philippines must rest, therefore, 
 either upon conquest or upon purchase from their Spanish oppressors, or upon 
 both, and in any case it is, as we believe, inconsistent with the principles of this 
 Republic, and fraught with danger to its peace and to the peace of the Avorld. 
 
 The first result we already witness, a war of subjugation, which must em- 
 bitter the people we seek to rule, and v.hich, however successful, must l)ring dis- 
 aster and dcisth to our soldiers, and unmeasured cost to our people. 
 
 Profoundly impressed with the seriousness of the situation, it is the purpose 
 of the Anti-Imj^erialists to continue the circulation of literature, to assist in the 
 formation of leagues, and by public meetings, and ever}- proper means known 
 to a free people, to agitate for the revival in the land of the spirit of Washington 
 and Lincoln, to protest against a spirit of militarism and force, to oppose the 
 colonial idea ami a permanently large standing army, and to assert the vital 
 truths of the Declaration of Independence embodied in the Constitution and 
 indissolubly connected with the welfare of this Republic. 
 
 They urge, tlierefore, all lovei-s of freedom, without regard to party associa- 
 tions, to cooperate with them to the following ends : 
 
 First. That our government shall take immediate steps towards a suspen- 
 sion of hostilities in the Philippines and a conference with the Philippine leaders, 
 with a view to preventing further bloodshed upon the basis of a recognition of 
 their freedom and independence as soon as proper guarantees can be hail of order 
 and protection to property. 
 
 Second. That the Congress of the United States shall tender an oflScial 
 assurance to the inliabitants of the Philippine Islands that they will encourage 
 and assist in the organization of such a government in the islands as the people 
 thereof shall prefer, and that upon its organization in stable manner the United 
 States, in accordance with its traditional and prescriptive policy in such cases, 
 will recognize the independence of the Philippines and its equality among nations, 
 andgraduallv withdraw all military and naval forces. 
 
REPMT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ANTI- 
 IMPERIALIST LEAGUE, 
 
 FEBRUARY 10, 1899. 
 
 Till.' uK'L'ting wliic'h led tu the foniiation of the Aiiti-luiperiali^t League was 
 hellion the Itith of Noveuiher last. Its constitution declares it> object : '-To 
 oppose by every legitimate means the acquisition of the Tliilippine Islands, or of 
 any colonies away from our shores, by the United States.'" A President, vSecre- 
 tary, and Treasurer, witli six other persons, act as an Executive Committee 
 having charge of the business of the League. It ha-: a list of eighteen Vice- 
 rresidcnts. 
 
 An address to tile people, and a form of ])etiliun a> follo\\ s. were promul- 
 gated November II) : 
 
 " Til the President am? Congress of the United State.^ : 
 
 "The undersigned protest against any extension of tiie sovereignty of the 
 United States over the Philippine Islands in any event, and over any ctJier 
 foreign territory without the free consent of the people thereof, believing such 
 action would be dangerous to the Republic, wasteful of its resources, in viola- 
 tion of constitutional principles, and fraught with moral and pliysical evils to our 
 peopli'." 
 
 These petitions have been presented to the Scn;ite by llie Hon. Tieorge F. 
 Hoar. 
 
 Seventei'U meetings of the Executive Committee iiave been held, at all of 
 which a quorum was present. 
 
 An inadequate summary of the labors of the committee follows : We have 
 printed and distributed : Address to the People of the United States ; a form of 
 petition on sheets and cards; descriptive circular explaining the method of dis- 
 tributing these cards ; letter to labor unions ; leaflet containing letter by Mr. 
 Andrew Carnegie, Nov. 20. hS'JS, entitled Commercial Expansion v. Colonial 
 E.xpansion; leaflet with extract from Senator Hoar's speech at Worcester, July 
 29, 1898; Ave Ijroadsidcs containing extracts from various writings and publica- 
 tions favorable to our cause, and two of ministerial utterances, and a panipldet 
 reproducing these two; four of Governor IJoutv.ell's siiecches ; letti'r to the 
 American Conference on International Arljitratioii ; the Hon. (ieorge F. 
 Edmunds's letter to the "New York World"; letter to senators urging them to 
 stand Arm against the treaty in its original form, and a final a|)peal made to indi- 
 vidual senators ; postal-card circular urging individual members of the League 
 to Avrite or telegraph their senators to oppose the treaty ; letter of thanks to the 
 twenty-nine senators who were paired or voted against the treaty; circular appeal 
 for funds. 
 
 We have been presented with a large number of copies for distribution of 
 various valuable jjublications and purchased others, as follows: Kesolutions and 
 Address at a Faneuil Hall Meeting, June 15, 1898; speech at Lexington Dec. 
 20, 1898, before the Lexington Historical Society by tiie Hon. Charles Francis 
 Adani.s, entitled, Hnperialism and tlie Tracks of our Forefathers; i)ami)hlet of 
 Mr. Francis A. IJrooks, entitled Objections to the President's Proposed Sub- 
 jugation of the Filipinos; address of the Hon. Carl Schurz at Chicago; the 
 llev. Henry Van Dyke's Sermon, Thanksgiving Day, 1898, entitled American 
 Birthright and Philippine Pottage; address of Dr. Lewis Janes, at Cambridge, 
 Jan. 12, 1899, entitled The Short Way with the Filipinos; Voice of the Farmer, 
 selections from agricultural papers ; pamphlet and appendix. The Hell of AVar and 
 The Cost of'a National Crime, by Edward Atkinson ; speech of the Hon. George 
 F. Hoar, Jan. 9, 1899, No Constitutional Power to conquer Foreign Nations and 
 hold People in Subjection against their Will; si)eech of tlie Hon. W. E. Mason, 
 Jan. 10, 1899, As to Government of Foreign Nations without their Consent ; vari- 
 ous newspaper aiul manuscript articdes. 
 
 The committee has opened offices in Washington and I'oston with no expt'use 
 for rent in cither jjlace. 
 
 There has been a very large correspondence in connection with there])lies to 
 ap])eals, involving a multitude of responses while sending out literi'.tiire. Branch 
 or iiulependent organizations have been established in many cities, and the agri- 
 cultural and labor interests have been thoroughly roused. Having no funds 
 to spend for canvassing, the work has been done by volunteers, often by poor 
 
men using tbeir scanty leisure before an! after tlieir hours of labor. In,many 
 sections of the country our correspomlents report that not ten per cent, of the 
 phiin people favor annexation. 
 
 A small expense wt s incurred by the committee in advertisements in some 
 of the newspapers having the largest circulation in the northwest and one or two 
 southern States, inviting correspondence from persons wlio felt the danger of the 
 impending crisis, and these advertisements led to a very large munber of replies. 
 We have supplied siieake.'s for meetings and have in many other ways aroused 
 active interest in the cause. 
 
 The Secretary made three visits to AVashington : one to wait upon the Presi- 
 dent and the others to interview Senators and to establish and look after the 
 atfairs of the office in AVashington. 
 
 The League has had no expense save clerk hire, travel, and the cost of post- 
 age, stationer}', and printing, and its Avork could not have progressed without a 
 remarkable spirit of self-sacrifice anil devotion throughout the land, to tlie con- 
 stitutional principles of our country. 
 
 The interest in the work shows no signs of flagging. A large number of 
 corrt-spondents have interested themselves in promoting local meetings in various 
 places on the 22d of February to maintain the principles of the organization, in 
 spite of the recent action of the Senate. 
 
 The present memliership of the .Vnti-Imperialist League is considerablv 
 over 25,000. 
 
 .As to the future, the committee cannot feel the slightest doubt that it is the 
 duty, and will be the wish, of the League, to continue immediately, aggressively, 
 and persistently the great work in which it has a!re;idy attained so encouraging 
 a share of success, the work of rousing and educating ])ublic opinion in defence 
 of the most sacred fundamental principles of lil)erty, and in opposition to the 
 un-American and daiigerous tendency towards imperialism and militarism. 
 
 The committee believes that the preparation and wide distribution of suitable 
 literature is important, and should be steadily pursued. 
 
 It believes, too, that the protests against the assumption of sovereignty 
 should be circulated for signatures tin-ough the entire country, and when returned 
 sent to the present or the next Congress. 
 
 It believes that the effort to secure tlie formation of branch or inde- 
 pendent Leagues in other States should bo continued, and that especially every 
 effort should be made to strengthen the Anti-Imperialist position of labor and 
 agricultural unions and organizations. 
 
 KRVIN-G WINS LOW, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
THIS IS A PHOTOCOPY REPRODUCTION 
 
 It is made in compliance with copyright law 
 and produced on acid-free archival 
 
 book weight paper 
 
 which meets the requirements of 
 
 ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 
 
 Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials 
 
 Preservation photocopying 
 
 by 
 
 The University of Connecticut Libraries 
 
 Preservation Department 
 
 2001 
 
 
 ^jVi?njit>' of Coryicclicut 
 ^^- ' .isibranes iiH 
 
-7 o "7 o 'l Q Q 
 
University of 
 Connecticut 
 
 Libraries 
 
 39153027609405