The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-25
DO TIE RoERs EXPECT HELP.

Very little reliance is to be paced on the
report that President Kruger is seriously
thinking Of suing for peace. He Is NOT
the sort of a man 10 become disheartene1
by two or three defeats. IT, however ne
should receive no encouraging word from
any one Of the great Powers from which
he expected Interference in the interest OF
the Beers. and the British should be Sue
cessfui in "A few more engagements, II IS
probab that he would seriously consid-
er The advisabiHty of making the hes,
terms he could at the earliest possible mo-
ment
There are reasons for thinking that he
hoped that Germany Russia or France
would lend MIN helping hand He may
even have thought that this country would
show such sympathy for the Boer cause
that Great Britain would be great
" influenced by it. If he had been
successful in the first few engagements
with the British forces some one of the
European Powers might nave ventured TO
give him some assistance. He may stih
have kope of receiving help. He under
stands that Great Britain is pretty thor
oughly hated by all of the other European
Powers and he has some ground for think
ing that they would not hesitate 20 strike
her a blow if they could do so without IN
curing too great risk.
The Beers, however. have not shown
the ability to cope with Great Britain that
was expected. and for the present at
least. there will be no movement by any
European Power to render them as
sistance There was never at any time
a probability that the United States would
interfere in the Transvaal war. Presl-
dent Kruger could not have understood the
very friendly relations existing between
this government and that of Great Britain
or he would not have been so hopeful of
help from this country. That he still
thinks that this government will interfere
in behalf of The Beers is shown by the
course his diplomatic agent at Washington
is pursuing.
This agent, Gen J. R. O'Beirne, has been
repuIsed once by the state department on
the ground that it would not recognize in
this country an American citizen as the
diplomatic agent of a foreign Power, but
he continues his efforts to aid the govern
ment he represents. He has secured the
services of a number of lawyers versed In
international law, and he is now engaged
in getting up authorities to show that there
are precedents which sustain him, as IN
American citizen in representing a foreign
government at Washington. 1t is a mat
ter of little consequence, however, what
a,.I in,
of his position No steps will be taken by
President Mckinley to help the Beers out
of their difficulties. He has said as much,
if not in so many words, at beast in a way
that cannot be misunderstood.
If this government should interfere in
the Transvaal war, even though the inter
ference should go no further than to ex-
press hope that the differences between
the British and the Beers should be set
tied without further bloodshed, Great Brit
ain would be offended. and would consider
that this country had failed to reciprocate
the friendship shown it during the Span
ish-American war By the government,
and perhaps by the great majority of the
American people, it is considered of more
importance to retain the friendship of
Great Britain than to have the gratitude
of the Beers.
1t is hardly probable that any one of tne
European Powers will go to the assistance
of the Beers as long as it is understood
that il is the purpose of the United States
to maintain an attitude of neutrality. The
fear that American neutrality would be-
come even more than sympathy for Great
Britain. if the latter should need assist
ance, will, in all probability, be sufficient
to prevent any of Great Britains enemies
from giving aid and comfort TO the Beers.