The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-05
THE BoER COMMISSIONERS.

The announcement that the Boer COM
missioners are on their way to the United
States is already attracting much atten-
tion They announce. in advance, that they
have no purpose to appeal to any political
party, but to the whole American people
Nevertheless, IL Is already given out that
Bryan managers have encouraged the COM
missioners to come hither in the expecta-
ton that political capital may be made of
the affair. The Teller resolution, which is
so mildly drawn that it's leaning to the
Boer republic, as it is called, is not pro-
nounced. is regarded as the beginning of
the movement.
AS the British government has nouhed
all the governments that a state of war
exists I'm South Africa between Great Brit
ain and foreign states, it will be no dis
courtesy to the English government for
the United States to give the Boer COM
missioners official recognition If their APP
peal will be. as they declare. simply for the
moral support and friendly Offices of a
neutral government to assist them in re-
tanning alleged republic, there can be no
serious objection. There is little doubt that
a large part of the American people sympa-
thize with the Beers. The Journal, while
recognizing the drift of popular sentiment
early in the conflict, finds an increasing
weight of evidence against the claim that
the Kruger government is. in reality, a
republic, but very narrow and arbitrary
oligarchy-a fact which was clearly set
forth by Bishop Hartzell, in an address
published in yesterdays issue. But, assum-
ing that all that Is claimed for the Beers
is true. and admitting that American SYM
pathy is in their favor, all that the gov
eminent of the United States do is to
offer mediation. which has already been
refused by Great Britain. The Pittsburg
Dispatch is Boer sympathizer. but 1t is
not Boer sympathizer for political ends.
consequently it candidly says that If the
Boer republic were in South America in
stead of South Africa, it could come IN
doctrine; but being I'm South Africa, it is
not the duty of the United States to inter-
vene forcibly to preserve the independence
of the Beers against a friendly power"
That is the real point in the matter. AS a
nation the United States has declared that
it would not interfere with wars between
nations beyond this continent. To do so
would be quite as much a violation OF the
Monroe doctrine as would our ignoring the
attempt of a European government to
seize the territory of South American re-
public.
The Boer commissioners or other repre-
sentatives of the Kruger government have
already asked the governments of Ger
many, France and Russia to intervene,
but those governments have refused to in
terfere in the controversy in any manner.
That Great Britain has once refused our
mediation does not prevent our making
new overtures If the Beers have new terms
to offer, but, at the same time, the sensible
people of the United States, however
much they may sympathize with the Beers,
Will agree with the Pittsburg Dispatch I'm
it's declaration that no policy should be
involve a sacrifice of our neutrality" The
talk of intervention must be understood to
mean war. With that understanding, po-
litical leaders who imagine that it will be
good politics to advocate a policy that
would certainly involve us in war with
Great Britain are counting without their
host