Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-22
THE Beers AND THE BRITISH.

ing street, this city, favors the editor Of
the Inter Mountain with his views on
the T~ransvaal question. He is an able
man of excellent purposes, and being con
sciertious in his views is entitled to the
hearing now accorded him in these COL
umns. This is especially true in the
view of the fact that he is a type of many
well meaning gentlemen, who, in the
opinion of the Inter Mountain. labor un-
der mistaken ideas concerning the present
wal in South Africa. In referring to a
recent editorial in these columns on the
southern situation, Mir. Taylor says"
Are the Irish the only ones ON the face
OF the earth that sympathize With the
Beers? Don't they seem to hay We the SYM
pathy of all the world that we hear from,
outside of England? And even there
opinion seems to be divided. There are
many OF us poor Outcasts from dear old
Ireland who think hat contributions of
money taken ND here and sent to the
seat of war. to be used wholly and solely
for the alienation of the sufferings of the
poor. sick and Wounded soldiers. would
be a breach of no law that was ever made
or dreamed of. / stand ready to contri-.
butte ten dollars per month for that pur-
pose while the Beers stand III against the
rotten government that was not neutral
between 1861 and 1865. The rod has been
in soak for that government. and believe
me, the time is close at hand for it's use.
1t is being applied right now.
Mr.. Taylor is in error in supposing thai
the Beers have the universal sympathy
which he ascribes to them, and his
sources of information are evidently far
from complete. Those who the
Kruger cause are more demonstrative in
the expression Of their feelings, it is true,
and in numerous cases desire to give them
vent through resolutions condemnatory
of the British government. to efforts to
raise troops to assist the Old gentleman in
the maintenance Of his cause, and to con-
tributions of money or supplies. But
ardor does not indicate universality of
sentiment, nor does it necessarily prove
the right or wrong of a proposition under
discussion. Men who do not permit
themselves to become excited over ques-
ions of interest to the world are just as
apt to be right as those who tear a pas
sion to tatters and exhaust their best en-
ergies "cusaing' at a mark.
-
The logic of every situation that arises
! suggests it's treatment on the issues in
~traneous propositions. To lay aside the
questions involved in the Transyaal war,
and directly responsible for the present
trouble, and condemn England because
of it's treatment of America in the past,
or it's conduct toward Ireland, is as
illogical as it would be to base ones
grounds hat it had produced a Shake
speare and is therefore right in trying to
whip the Beers, If the Inter Mountains
esteemed correspondent, and gentlemen
of his type, could eliminate from their
analyses Of the merits and dement's of
the South African war all feelings of
might reach a different conclusion as
to Who is in the right and who is in the
wrong in the troubles now in issue.
AS to the question of contributions,
the Inter Mountain maintained that it
was practically a violation of the neu-
trality laws which our government is OBJ
the hands of either side to assist in buy
ing arms, ammunition or supplies to en-
able it to prosecute the war to better
advantages. To give money solely for
the benefit of the sick and wounded is
quite another thing. But when this is
done, it should not be filtered through
fit to apply it, but purely charitable con-
tributions should 50 into the hands of
the Red Cross s~ociety-an organization
recognized under the Law of nations as
q eutral agency for the relief of the dis
tressed in times of war. 1t is very cred
liable to Mr.. Taylor's head and heart
for this purpose. Let us hope that his
commendable charity may find express
sion through the proper channels
Whether England is about 10 be chas-
tieed for the sins of the past, as our
correspondent seems to think, is purely
a speculative question to be determined
by future events. In the meantime, let
it be remembered that the first duty of
a good citizen is to respect the neutral
position taken by our government, what
eyer his individual opinions may be.
WIN dog not the Anannrla Standard