The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-17
STRONGLY ANTI-BRITISH.
OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE SENTIMENT m
GERMANY.
A POSITION OF NEUTRALITY
Forced Upon them by Attitude orisaf-
ance or Europe Emperor Williams
Famous Telegram TO Kruger I'm 1893
Feeicr Which showed How Europe
Stood-An Opposed To England. hut
None willing to Take the Initiativc.
Engiand's Colonial Death struggle


Copyrighted by Associated Press.
Berlin. October IA high German
official whose utterances may BE- taken
as absolutely conclusive. said To- tho
representative OF the Associated Pre- =
today:N
We shall observe the strictest neu-
trality, no matter what may develop
in the war between the Boer repub 10
and Great Britain. This is the only
course left open, as conditions i'm
South Africa are 50 complicated. and
our relations with both sides are 50 del
icate that 10 abandon neutrality by so
much as a hairs breadth would neccs- 1
sarily lead TO new and unforeseen COM
plications.
I'VE mean to adhere to neutrality
toward both parties. What clse can
we do? Other powers spoken OF as
likeay to interfere have also concluded
to keep quiet. Such rumors now
and again reach the press-for instance,
the report about thee alleged attempts
on the part of the Russian minister.
Count Muravieff, TO bring concerted
rumors. l say unfortunately.
THE word shows how sympatLles he.
but politics in these days must be trict-
ly separated from interests n one
side and sympathies on the ctEer. II
is true, our entire press calls upon the
government to interpose between the
brave little republics and big. pow rfuI
England, and again a crusade against
England is being preached TO the nj
tions of the continent, but we wo I'D
be fools to listen to this siren song On
that occasion when We blew the alarm
horn--I refer to Emperor Will ans
telegram TO President Kruger In 1885,
and tried to assemble the powers with
a view Of opposing Great Britain IN her
selfish and rude aggressiveness. we had
a bad experience. The lesson was not
lost upon us.
-'Of course all the other powers would
like it only too We'll III Germany would
oppose England seriously in this mat
ter, but we doubtless would aga in be
left to our unaided selves. Therefore,
we are going to avoid intervention and
then remain strictly neutral in the
coming struggle. Our intention has
been communicated fully to the Trans
vaal and to England. England would
not have gone as she has il she had not
thoroughly understood this. Do not
understand me to mean that Germany
NOulu IN SBine con IT
ed action looking toward intervent n.
but she has no idea Of again TAX
the initiative"
This authoritive declaration tall =
with one made by the inspired Berli'-
er Post in which the policy OF ne
tra1ity is likewise advanced Howe
eer, aside from the government re- g.
every paper and every person high or
low condemns England. Many also Sc
riously blame the government for Its
inactivity. The Deutsche Tages Zei-
tung says: 1T is unnecessary TO say
that our best wishes accompany the
Beers, for they viii fight not only i'm
behalf of their own existence but in be-
half Of Germany's position in South
Africa, which will be our loss if the.
British win. If. on the other hand, the
Beers win, Great Britain viii lose not
only South Africa, but perhaps the
whole of her powerful position In the
world"
The Kreuz Zeitung and the Hamburg
Nachrichter use similar arguments.
The Deutsche Zeitung referring to
the ultimatum says: 'The wrongs
inflicted by Great Britain on the Trans
vaal are mountain high, and the i'm
preston made by the ultimatum upon
every impartial person is IRRESISTIBLE"
The Lokal Anzerger cali England's
procedure 'co1ossally brutal" and
Charged mr. chamberlain and the war
party in England with dishonest f.
nancial operations that render war
necessary"
The papers have many articles re-
gardfng the Samoan question, rciterat-
ing the statement as TO a partition. A
leading foreign official in referring 20
the matter said to the Associated
Press:
"A1l these statements are mere guess
work and without foundation intact.
The powers are negotiating with "A
view OF eliminating the difficulty and
there is little likelihood of any further
trouble between them. as a settlement
Will probably be reached satisfactory
to all concerned. So far as the dam
age question goes. an agreement has
already been reached between Germany
and Great Britain. and the United
States are not opposed on principleto.
the same idea OF settlement"