The San Francisco call., 1899-09-15
THE TRANSVAAL.


THE proposition that our Government offer
mediation between England and the Beers
meets with no official favor. It serves, how
ever to bring the actual relation existing between
England and that republic into general notice. The
British Government has artfuly concealed the nature
and extent OF its suzerainy By the treaty between
Great Britain and the Transvaa it arranged that
in all external international matters England
should be suzerain This relation came up in the
time OF the Jameson raid. Several American citizens
were involved in that ambitious venture. They ap-
piled to our Government for relief, and at once
referred their cases to Great Britain as the suzeran
power in all international affairs. We received the
assurance that the laws OF the Transvaa should be
fairly enforced the trial OF citizens and that
there should be no denial of justice The domestic
government OF the republic proceeded to arralgn
and try the Americans. They were given every de
fensve advantage found in the local laws were found
guilty and sentenced to death. That sentence could
have been executed regardless OF any protest and in
dependent OF any interference by this Government or
Great Britain President Kruger commuted the death
sentence and as a substitute very heavy fine was
imposed and paid and the set free and
departed from the country.
In a still more striking way England acknowledged
the absolute internal independence OF the Transvaal
by condemning Rhodes for instigating the jameson
raid and backing the Utlanders in their revolutionary
proceedings.
Now however England has permitted enlargement
OF the belief that her treaty rights not limited to
suzerainy in international matters, but that she has
the power to dictate to the Beers in their internal
government and to demand that they give to British
subjects vote and voice in the government OF the
republic without REIMBURSEMENT OF their allegiance
to Great Britain She possesses no such right, and
were the Transvaa her equal in strength would be far
from claiming it. Nothing but her superior might is
the motive for the making of claim so abSurdly for
eign to her treaty stipulations But, matter to
what extent she exceeds her just powers in
position to protest or to mediate We have recently
appeared in the field of exterior politics. We have
gone beyond our own shores and have precedent
action made certain pledges to the world as to
purposes. Those pledges in regard to Cuba and the
late possessions Of Spain remain unfulflled, and in
instances have been specifically violated. There is
in this country vicious and carefully propagated
sentiment in favor Of violating them all. England
has from the first ingenousy lured us into this posi-
ton for the reason that before we occupied it we
were the only nation that could forcibly and con
sistenty protest her in favor OF the wronged and
the weak. We had no beam in eye, and had
the right to the mote in hers All this is changed
and our right OF challenge of another Government is
subject TO its right to offer interference in own
dealings OF similar nature
We have ceased to be the one power in the world
which, doing equity, could demand it. The change
that has in the worlds affairs since our change
of front and purpose is very significant and appalling
TO the weaker peoples and powers 1t has propa-
gated the notion that few strong nations have the
right to divide the world among them, and that it
shall be divided up among the United States Eng
land, Russia and Germany.
Bonaparte set out to make the Continent all
French and declared that destiny that should
be French or Cossacl1. His idea was only a little
more monopolistic than the current cult 1t is to be
regretted that have abandoned moral position
and that the nations OF this hemisphere begin to look
mon us with the suspicion and aversion that
have been felt against England for generations
There appears to be now chance that war between
England and the Beers may be averted but only by
a surrender to Great Britain in matters that she has
no right to control and by concessions so offensive
that they are only yielded in the face OF overwhelming
and destructive force.