Washington sentinel., 1900-04-21

State, In proof OF this l cite the addi-
tional fact that il was admitted to the
International Postal Union, that it was a
member OF the Convention OF Gen eva,
and that our own Government and all
the other powers recognized it and
appointed to It consuls. The United
States consul at Pretoria today is acting
in that capacity, not only for us but for
Great Britain as well,
Under all the circumstances, it seems
to me England is now precluded from
raising the question Of the independence
OF the South African Republic, For
England to raise this contention at this
late day is a mere flimsy pretext, an
afterthought of Cecil Rhodes and Joseph
Chamberlain, and constitutes blu ider
worse than a crime.
The question OF suzerainty was not
raised at first in the differences with the
South African Republic. There never
would have been trouble il gold had not
been discovered in the land, He wanted
it for his English chartered syndicate.
He and Chamberlain instigated the
Jameson raid and Chamberlain repudi-
ated it when the Beers made It a miser-
able failure. Cecil Rhodes plotted and
planned against the Beers. He stirred
up dissension among the people at
Pretoria; he conspired in South Africa
and in Europe to overthrow the Repub.
lies. He is the power behind the British
mIni9try in this war. and Chamberlain is
now, and always has been, his willing
tool.
This conflict should be called Cecil
Rhodes's war for gold and conquest in
South Africa. He is responsible for all
the woe, all the sorrow, all the despair.
and all the misery this war has caused.
He is the Pizarro OF the nineteenth
century.
Mr.. Chamberlain and Mr., Rhodes
began the present trouble by taking up
the alleged grievances of the English
aliens or uitIanders in South Africa,
Mr.. Chamberlain practically demanded
they be enfrarchised without abjuring
or tenouncing their allegiance to the
British Crown. This proposition is. and
was, preposterous. No government on
earth would submit to it.
II the English aliens in the Transvaal
wanted to become citizens Of the Boer
Republic, they had to comply with the
law, just the same as the English aliens
| in this country, in order to become
citizens OF the United States, must
| comply with our law and renounce
forever their allegiance to the British
| Crown. The law there regarding
naturalization is just about the same as
the law here, If anything, it is more
liberal.
But be these grievances of the for.
eigners in the South African Republic
regarding franchise, taxation, and
representation just or unjust, reasonable
or unreasonable, it was no cause for thi:
sanguinary war. AS matter of fact
however, the south African Republic
was willing to comply with every reques
Of the English Government regarding
the franchise and all other alleged
grievances Of the Uitlanders.
| think that il can be safely stated tina
the Beers were willing to arbitrate al
| questions of difference between the two
Governments; but England declined
and began a systematic concentration
ofEnglish troops on their frontier, which
in itself constituted a practical declara
ton OF war against them.
And, sir, let me say right here that
the friends and sympathizers of Englant
urge as a reason for British interference
and as a justification of this war tn
alleged grievances oi the Ultlanders il
regard to the franchise, taxation, an,
representation in the TransYaal. tn
friends and sympathlzers OF the Boer
answer that Eng!and's rules, laws, an
regulations regarding American alien
in the British Kloudike are more severe
more grievous, and more burdensomt
And vet does anyone here urge a wa
; with England on account OF the grie,
ances of American miners in the Britis
Klondikee
From all the facts and circumstance
, in the case, am convinced and clearI
OF the opinion that England has no rigt
to interfere in the internal affairs of th
t Beers. Her pretexts for doing so al
E untenable, and her entire course in ii
a matter has been selfish, cruel, unjustif
I able and dishouorable.
$ The war she is waging against the
t today is the most criminal, the mo