Using Newspapers As A Resource
Current Newspapers
Newspapers are a vital tool for historians, and journalists have been called the writers of history's first draft.
Until recently, researching newspapers was a tedious task involving hours in a public library going day-by-day through stories that may have little relevance to a researcher's topic.
Thanks to the internet, this practice has been revolutionized. Most major newspapers have archived their entire backlog of papers; many have archived over one-hundred years of newspapers. Below you will find a list of some major newspapers as an example of such archived back issues, but many others exist, and even regional papers have begun this practice. Access usually requires a membership, which can be expensive. The New York Times offers monthly access to 100 articles for $7.95; conversely, the Nation's similar package will cost $69.90.
Historic Newspapers
But...what if the newspaper does not exist any longer. William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were never introduced to the "information super-highway!"
The Library of Congress has recognized the importance of these no-longer-in-existance newspapers and have begun a project called Chronicling America. In this digital archive the Library of Congress has stored as PDF documents major newspapers from around the US. Currently they span the years 1900-1910, but this is likely to expand. Some newspapers include the San Francisco Call, The Evening World, The National Forum, The Washington Herald, and the New York Sun.
Cornell University has similarly created it's "Making of America" archive of important journals and magazines. Stored as PDF images of the originals, this collection is an excellent example of the internet making research materials more available and a brilliant contribution to academia. The North American Review, Harper's Monthly, and Atlantic Monthly are all included. Dates range from 1815-1901.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, The Library of Congress.
Newspaper Articles about the Anti-Imperialist League
Unfortunately much of the newspapers that reported about the Anti-Imperialist League are not yet chronicled in the Library of Congress' archive. Papers like the Boston Evening Transcript, and the Springfield Republican are only available in Public Libraries. I have compiled a few articles from these and other newspapers, but they are published in a text format rather than an original PDF photograph.
The Springfield Republican, January 6, 1899, p. 6.
M. Patrick Cullinane, Liberty and Anti-Imperialism, June 22, 2007.