The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-22
AND KEEP OUT OF A ROW
O'Beirne Visits Officials in the Boer
Delegates Interest.
TO SUBMIT THEIR CREDENTIALS MONDAY
DeIegat S TO be Presented Afterwards. They
Hold a Levee at The Arlington. This
Government Won'tAsk Eng
land IN Sfon the War.
land 10 Stop the War.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, May 19.-Three very tired
their apartments at the Arlington,
shaking hands with a constant stream Of
visitors, acquiesing in the numerous re-
quests and suggestions of the Washing
ton reception committee and cautiously
parrying the rapid fire of inquiries from
a small army Of newspaper correspond
cnts.
Mr.. Fischer. as usual, was the spokes-
English.
Commissioner Fischer talked freely
with the correspondents and emphasized
his wish to be as frank as possible with
cut giving offense to the American Gov
ernment
w are playing a wholly unaccustomed
role as diplomats" said he. "and we must
be careful. 1t has been suggested to us
since we reached America that we nave
hurt our chances with the State Depart
ment by accepting the hospitality of the
several committees that have welcomed
us. But | would like very much to have
the case fairly stated to the public. Our
Government has turned to the United
States as to a great and powerful nation
whose people ,We believe our friends. We
have a mission to perform to the State
Department, and there are things con-
nected with that mission which the State
Department has a right to know before
We discuss them in public. We have con
slstently refrained from saving to the
press what should first be laid before the
officials of this Government. but when
we are met nv cnnmittapc made I'm &c
We are assured of representative men who
sympathize with us, it would be churlish
10 turn our backs on these friends and
refuse the cOurteSieS they offer us.
We have been criticised for accepting
an invitation TO the meeting at the thea
tire tomorrow night before we have been
received at the State Department., but we
have promised to appear and make our
bow upon the guarantee of the committee
that it is simply a friendly welcome eX-
tended by our sympathizers and will be
free from all partisan politics. If we
believed there would be a word uttered
there for fractional or political purposes.
We should not attend. but we have been
assured it is merely a friendly welcome"
Asked what were the nature of the
commissions credentials, Mr.. Fischer
replied:
They are from our Government and we
believe are ample to enable us. through
the good offices CT a friendly government,
10 stop the bloodshed that is going on in
cur home country. Further than that /
would not like to discuss them"
Regarding the terms on which he
thought peace possible, Mr.. Fischer said:
" have not come with any hard and
fast proposition. but we believe an hon
Orable peace is possible, and we believe
the United States is the one country so
situated as to be able to bring it about"
Would the recent victories of the Brit
ish in South Africa have any effect on
the terms you would be willing to ac-
cept,' he was asked.
POSSIBLY he replied, ''yet that is a
matter that l can't discuss now"
When asked if he expected to see any
of the representatives of Great Britain in
Washington, he said:
W may possibly. We shall not 20
after them, but we should be glad to talk
10 any fair minded Englishman, for if the
English people had known the truth in
the South African situation this war never
would have been begun"
will the Transvaal entertain any peace
proposals that recognize the suzerainty
of England?" he was asked.
If England wants suzerainty over the
iCpuDiiCS. 1T Itplleu, she VIII nave to
come and take it," His two tall swa1thv
companions nodded assent.
Colonel O'Beirne, Who, some months
ago vainly sought recognition as a dip
l0matic representative of the Beer Re
publics, yesterday appeared at the State
Department in the interest of the three
delegates.
Colonel O'Beirne has previously hal a
short talk with the President, who d.
rected him to the State Departments.
Secretary Hay listened to the reasons WV !
the United States Government should act ,
TO bring the war to a close. Colonel
OBeirne, like the Boer delegates. felt that |
the mere direction of the United States |
would suffice to induce England to cease
hostilities. He argued with a good deal
OF elOGuence. but without convincing the
officials that the United States Go,crn-
nlent could intervene in the manner pro- ,
posed without becoming at once involved
as q party to the war. 1t can be ser
down as certain that the present deter !
mination of cur Government is not to
request England to stop the war.
The credentials of the Boer delosaias
now in Washington, will be submitted to
tie Secretary of State Monday next.
Colonel O'Beirne called at th> State De
l'artment this afternoon and arranged with
secretary Hay that the BOer credentials !
Should be submitted in advance Of the
presentation of the gentlemen themselves.
ms IS IN accordance with the usual rule
governing the presentation of foreign
MINISTERS. SO Mr.. Bruyn, the private
secretary of the Boer delegation is ey-
pected to bring the credentials to the
State Department Monday, where they
VIII be submitted for the careful ex-
animation Of the Department which does
not at present know anything of their
character.