The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-02
THE CASE OF CONSUL MAcRuM, q

The special Washington correspgh-
dents OF the leading metropolitan pa
pers are devoting considerable attention
to the case OF Charles E. Macrum, the
United States consul at Pretoria, who
was recently snubbed by President Kru-
ger OF the Transvaal republic for his
otficious interference in behalf OF Brit
isll prisoners in the hands of the
Beers. 1t is said that President Kruger
informed the young man that the claims
OF the United States to neutrality were
prejudiced by the friendship displayed
to Great Britain by President Mckinley
and his secretary OF state, who absolute
ly refused to recognize Gen. O'Beirne,
OF New York, as the representative OF
the Transvaal in this country during the
Anglo-Boer war, on the ground that he
was citizen OF the United States.
There is no doubt whatever that Con-
sui Macrum, OH instructions from John
Hay, exceeded the bounds OF neutrality
in his attention to British interests, and
hence it is that Paul Kruger told him
to keep his hands off. The Anglo
maniac who fills the office once occu-
pied by James G. Blaine instructed Mac
rum to insist on performing his duties
as representative of England during the
war, notwithstanding the objections
made to film by Kruger, and there the
matter rests at present
1t is said Macrum has requested to
be relieved OF his disagreeable duties,
but the Anglo-American powers that
be want him to stay and do everything
possible for England The Mckinley
administration is indebted to the mo
tller country ior services rendered by
her consular agents in Cuba during the
Spanish-American war in giving much
valuable Information, and by quid pro
quo the Mckinley administration de-
sires to render a similar service to the
Salisbury ministry. Such an act is in
violation OF international neutrality and
Paul Kruger was amply justified in re-
scnting the officiousness of the Ameri-
can consul. During the Franco German
war Minister Washburn represented the
interests OF German citizens in Paris and
discharged his duties satisfactorily with
out any complaint on the part OF the
French government. He assumed a
nonpartisan attitude and strictly OBJ
served the neutrality laws in such cases
made and provided. Ii Macrum fol-
lowed his example he would not have
been ignored by Paul Kruger.
The special correspondent of the Chi
cago Chronicle says that the British,
ambassador. Lord Paunceiote, is run-
ming the state department and has hyp-
noticed President Mckinley and John
Hay in directing the foreign policies oil
the administration. In this connection
the wcll-iniormcd correspondent says:
The recent note to President Kru-
ger, sent through Consul Macrum at
Pretoria, in which the state department.
insisted upon the right OF Macrum to
perform certain duties in behalf OF Brit
isl1 subjects regardless OF what Presi-
dent Kruger deemed proper, is now be.
lieved to have been conceived by Lord
Pauncciote and suggested by him to
President Mckinley. There is a good
deal OF conjecture about all this, bu,
the facts appear to warrant it. Pauncc
totes influence at the state department
and the White House is betrayed by
the facility with which he obtains al!
diplomatic news in which England i.
even remotely interested. He is in.
formed OF what is going on sometimes
hours before official announcement O
the same happening is made to the pres;
associations, and not infrequently the
Washington correspondents get thei,
first tips from London on things tina,
have occurred right under their noses
in Washington
Now that the Beers are entitled tc
recognition as belligerents by Grea,
Britain. the Mckinley administration