The Irish standard., 1899-07-01
IRISH SYMPATHY WITH THE BoERs.

1nere is no doubt but that Great
Britain and the Boer republic are on
the verge of war. Both countries are
preparing for the encounter which may
occur at any moment. In his speech at
Birmingham last Monday Joseph Cham
berlain assumed menacing tone in ex-
planning the condition of affairs in the
Transvaal, and denounced the action of
Paul Kruger in harsh and bitter words.
1T is erroneous to say" said Chamber
lain, that the British government wants
war; but it is equally erroneous to say
that the government will draw back now
that it has put its hand to the plow."
1T is my belief" he said in closing,
that this country will show itself not
unworthy of its glorious history and
traditions"
Paul Kruger cannot be bluffed or in
Inundated by any taunts or threats from
the Birmingham screwmaker in Sails
bury's cabinet. He is we'll prepared to
meet the British soldiers and perhaps
may take the initiative in the conflict.
He may not wait for England to declare
war when it has massed its forces in
South Africa, but march against them
and begin the attack. In every engage
ment between the Beers and the British
in the past, the latter were utterly routed
by the Dutch peasant farmers of the
Transvaal, and they are likely to be
again. The Beers are dead shots and
shoot better today than ever before.
They have Mauser rifles and modern
rapid-fire field pieces. A returned trav-
eler from the Transvaal, an Englishman,
says that boys not yet in their teens can
kill the smallest kind OF an antelope at
a distance of 600 yards. The British SOL
diers know that the Beers cannot be sur
passed as sharpshooters, and they conse-
quently entertain more respect for them
than do the American soldiers for the
Filipinos. Moreover, the Beers will not
fight alone. They will be supported by
the Dutch of the Orange republic and by
others in all parts of South Africa.
A London dispatch says that the St.
James Gazette calls upon the British ad-
miralty Ito take immediate steps to
counterfeit the plans of representatives
of the Clan-Na- Gael, from the United
States, who are now at Pretoria with the
view OF obtaining authority to start a
fleet of privateers under the Transvaal
flag with the object OF looting Cape lin
ers." What truth there is in the report
we have no means of determining, but
certain it is that the sympathy of liberty
loving Irishmen everywhere goes with
the Beers against England. The Dublin
correspondent of the Chicago Chronicle
declares that the overwhelming majority
OF the Irish people sympathize heartily
with the Beers in the coming struggle
and he gives the following from the
Weekly Independent, the organ of the
Redmondites:
1T is most earnestly to be hoped that
every Irislman on the raad-and there
are many OF our brave kith and kin
fighting for fortune thcre-will stand by
the president in this momentous crisis.
Let them manfully resist the coercion
or the cajolcry which, on a previous
memorable occasion, induced many Of
them to form themselves into an Irish
legion in defense Of British interests
They owe no allegiance to England;
they are living under free state, which
deserves support to the death in striving
to retain its independence, and if they
are worth their salt they will range
themselves under the banner of the Boer
and, if possible, help to give the British
invaders such another chastisement as
burgher bravery administered to them
on the memorable day OF Majuba hill. y
Now is the time for Irish revolution
airy organizations to do effective work
against England. Let them be up and
doing and render every possible
aid to brave Paul Kruger in
the life and death struggle
with British rapacity in Africa. They
have fought the battles Of every nation
for the past three hundred years, and
why not help Paul Kruger against their
inveterate enemy? We hope that Irish
men will not let this opportunity pass OF