The times., 1899-10-13
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1s. 1899.
The American Petition.

Now that the President. through the
Department of State. has declared the rol-
icy OF this Government in reference 10 the
war between Great Britain and the South
African Republic it is TO be hoped that the
foolish and injurious agitation on the sub
ject OF mediation, Intervention, or official
remonstrance may stop. The position taken
by Mr.. Mckinley is the only one he could
assume under international law and usage
but il is otherwise unassailable on grounds
OF right. justice, and respect for liberty
and humanity.
The State Department circular issued
yesterday, recites the fact that the Presi-
dent has received large number of petit
tions, signed by many citizens of distinc-
ticn, requesting him to tender the good
Offices of the United States in settling the
differences liz South Africa He has received
MANY others asking him TO make common
cause with Great Britain TO redress the
wrongs suffered by the Outlanders, and
especially by American citizens in the
Transvaal and still others urging inter-
ference to assist the Beers against alleged
aggression.
The circular disposes OF the designs of
those who have manufactured the sym
pathy' in this country in short order 1t
says: As to taking sides with either party
10 the dispute, il is not 10 be thought of
AS To mediation, that is equally impossi-
bic unless both Governments should ask
ft- In default OF such a request there is
nothing in international rules or usages
to justify an offer Of mediation in the pres
ent circumstances. While the President
hopes and wishes that even now war
may be sverted, the efforts OF this Gov
ernment viii be directed-as they are at
preseDt-to seeing that neither our ma
tional interests nor those of our citizens
shall suffer unnecessary injury"
We congratulate the President and the
Department Of State upon the timeliness,
the clearness. and convincing nature OF
this urterance- Il leaves us without sny
sort OF doubt as to what our national au-
thorities viii do and will avoid in the
premises. Something OF the kind was OBJ
viously necessary to arrest the spread OF
-philanthropic movement. in which
many nnthinking people seem to have par-
they were furthering the cause of free
dom and the rights of man; and which. If
allowed to go on would needlessIy and
Ficiously imperil- our relations with the
one country Of the Old World that stood
by us like a brother when certain Cont
mental powers were more than half Inclined
to take up the quarrel Of Spain against us.
AS We have said. the position assumed
by Mr. Mckinley and his Administration
Is not only right In law. but it is so in
morals and ethics The position Of Great
Britain with regard TO the Beers. in prin-
ciple, is identical with that of the United
States in relation TO the Filipinos. The
adherents Of Aguinaldo in this country
have not been slow 10 recognize the truth
Of this proposition, and their newspaper
exponent, Joseph Pulitzer, held himself
shrewd in planning logical trap for pa
riots. when he. advised by the Boston
Junta, attempted TO float the sympathy
movement, II it IS wrong for England to
restore peace and order. and to insist
upon decency and respect FOR the common
civil rights Of American and English peo-
pie in the Transvaal, Il fs equally wrong
for us TO attempt to establish our author
sty and 90 force order and civilization upon
the rebellious Tagal tribe of Luzon. If IL
were admitted. even In principle. that we
had right forciblg TO inject our good
Offices" into q quarrel between depend
ent and = sovereign State. the Hoars. At
kinsons. scharzes. Aosts, and Pulitzers
would soon End means to convince foreign
Governments that, therefore. they also
were entitled TO interfere in our strictly
municipal trouble in the Philippines.
II is totally foreign to the nature Of the
American people TO sympathize with fanat-
icism, oppression. robbery. and brutality
Sympathy for the Beers is sympathy for
all four Of these offences. An oligarchy
wherein sixty thousand ignorant and half
savage bigofs and slave drivers hold two 4
hundred thousand intelligent enterprising |
Anglo-Saxons helplessiy at their mercy |
IN respect Of life. liberty, and property.
and deny them ali civil rights. is not a |
State entitled 10 friendly consideration |
at the hands Of our citizenship American |
women and children in escaping from the /
land OF these Boer saints. by them have |
been insulted, abused, and Iashed with |
biacksnake whips sympathy with such 1
creatures is en- insult TO God and cur
kind