The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-12
GREAT MEETING
To Express Sympathy With the
Beers
Held In New York Last Night
Van Wyck Presided.

New York, Oct. ia great mass
meeting was held in Carnegie hall last
night to express sympathy with the
Beers in their controversy with Great
Britain. The flag of the TransvaaI re-
public hung side by side on the stage
with the stars and stripes. The
colors of the Orange Free State were
also displayed. On the platform and in
the amphitheater We're gathered men of
all shades of political faith. Many Wo-
men were present.
Augustus Van Wyck, who was the
Democratic candidate for governor in
opposition to Governor Roosevelt, pre-
sided. A number of societies were rep
resented. including the daughters of the
American Revolution, Sons of the Rev
Olution, Society of Colonial Danes, Or
der of the Loyal Legion, Holland SOci-
ETY., Holland Danes. and the United
Irish societies. Among those present
were General James r. O'Beirne, who
recently was appointed representative
of the Beers in this country; eX-COn-
gressman John Dewitt Warner, Briga-
der General Roe, District Attorney
Gardiner and others of prominence The
long lists Of vice presidents included
Governor P1ngree OF Michigan, Senator
Mason of Illinois, Senator Platt of New
York and Senator Teller Of Colorado.
A large crowd gathered about Carue-
gle hall early in the evening and there
was a crush within the building after
the doors were thrown open. On each
of the chairs a petition to the president
had been placed, for the name and ad-
dress of anyone who wished to sign it.
The document petitiOned that the pres
ident offer the friendly offices of the
United States to- secure a peaceful set
tlement by arbitration of the pending
war between Great Britain and the
South African republics, the TransVaaI
and the Orange Free State.
Presiding Officer Van Wyck made a
speech in which he characterized the
nAndiner Efr11preyIa q G nj IA Gfr
against the weak. During Mr.. Van
Wyck's speech somebody called for
three cheers for Dewey, the hero of
Manila" The cheers were not given
and Mr.. VanWyck continued to speak
for half an hour.
Bourke Cochran then took the plat
form and was received with a tremend-
GUS ovation as he came forward.
He spoke for more than an hour, and
while the applause was cyclonic at
times, there were a good many inter
rupuOns on the part of several hundred
English sympathizers, who occupied
seats in the rear of the hall and in the
galleries. Mr.. Cochran said in part:
This meeting has been objected to
I on the ground that the United States
has nothing to do with the affairs of
South Africa. Whoever INDUCES in
that criticism must have forgotten that
with the closer relations between mem
bers of the human family, engendered
by the growth Of commerce and civil
ization, the preservation Of peace
throughout the world becomes a matter
OF Importance to every civilized cOun-
try. A regard for material interests
as well a s respect for the moral law
in this age of law and progress, enjOin
upon strong nations a responsibility for
the defense OF the weak against unjust
aggression. The century-the close of
twill be capped to the fitting climax
If this, the strongest nation in the
world. shall proclaim the principle that
unjust war is an assault upon civiliz-
alton and every moral resource should
/ be exhausted to prevent it.
We may not hope that the closing
year of the century will be made glOr-
ious by the proclamation of a new prin-
/ ciple, capable of promoting the peace
of the whole universe to the end of
time, and which will be known as the
/ Mckinley dOctrine?'
Mr.. Cochran then went into details
/ on the relations between the two con-
tending nations and spoke of EngIands s
1 rights in the making Of treaties with
! the Beers, and added:
The United States has as much right
; to intervene to prevent aggression and
/ preserve peace as England has for the
I qualification of greed and the spoliatiOn
of territory
Continuing, Mr.. Cochran said: Pres
4 1dent Kruger was within his rights, and
/ believed stepped outside of his duty
! when he consented to discuss the ques-
/ tion Of citizenship with any person who
should couple 1t with a threat. Yet he
: was ready to cOncede it If that shadow
! claim of suzerainty, revived after fif-
I teen years, should be abandoned No
notice was given to his note. England
wanted a guarantee that the OutIanders
/ would be given all the privileges en-
4 JOyed by the Beers. Now the enactment
( of a law is all the guarantee that
/ state can give. If that is not sufficient
/ then there is nothing left to do but to
/ hand over the government to the power
] executing the threat. Chamberlain s
/ attitude, as everything had been con-
/ ceded, was a demand to choose between
| surrender and conquest, which is very
/ much the same as if another should in
vite him to commit suicide in order to
/ save the trouble and risk of numbering
| him.