The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-06-02
WILL NOT INTERVENE
Secretary Hay States Presidents
Position to Boer Delegates.
DATED states Must Remain Neutral
In south AfricanWar - Full
Text of Secretary of
states Reply.


Washington, May 22.-The state de-
partment has met the issue raised by
the coming to Washington of the Boer
delegation by declining to interfere
in behalf of the South African repub-
lies in the present struggle.
The three delegates called upon the
secretary of state Monday afternoon
and were at once shown into the dip
lomatic room. Just what passed be-
tween them probably will never be ex-
actly known, for when the meeting
was over, after lasting an hour, the
Beers, in departing, stated that they
had, and would have. nothing to say
as to what happened. For his part,
the secretary of state was just as I'M
communicative, but later on he gave
out the following statement:
The Secretary Statement.
''Messrs. A. Fischer. c. II. Vessels and
"A. d. w. Woolmarans the delegates In
this country Of the South African repub-
Hes, called by appointment at the state
department. They were cordially received
and remained with the secretary OF state
for more than an hour. They laid before
great energy and eloquence the merits Of
the controversy In South Africa and the
desire OF the Boer republics that the Unit
ed States should intervene In the interest
OF peace and use Its influence to that end
with the British government.
The secretary of state made the follow
ing reply: The president. In his message
TO the congress last December. said:
This government has maintained an
attitude Of neutrality In the unfortunate
contest between Great Britain and the
Boer states OF Africa. We have remained
faithful to the precept OF avoiding en-
tangling alliances as to affairs not of our
direct concern. Had circumstances sug-
gested that the parties to the quarrel
would have welcomed any kindly express
sion OF the hope of the American people
that war might be averted. good offices
would have been gladly rendered
''As the war went on. the president,
while regretting the suffering and the
Sacrifices endured by both OF the combat
ants. could do nothing but preserve
strict neutrality between them. This he
has steadily and consistently done, but
there never has been a moment when he
would have neglected any favorable occa-
sion to use his good offices In the inter-
ests of peace. On the 10th of last March
We received from Mr.. Hay, the United
States consul at Pretoria. this telegram:
4 am officially requested by the gov
Intervention with view to cessation of
hostiltes. Same request made to repre-
sentatives OF European powers
Note to Great Dritinn.
THE president at once directed me to
convey the substance of this telegram to
the British government and in communi-
eating this request was directed by him
to express his earnest hope that a way to
bring about peace might be found, and to
he IN
friendly manner to promote so happy
result. The Transvaal government was at
the same time informed of the presidents
action In the matter.
Snlisbury's Reply.
''Our representative In London promptly
communicated the presidents instruction
to Lord Salisbury. In answer he was re-
Quested to thank the president for the
friendly interest shown by him, and Lord
Salisbury added that her majesty's gov
eminent could not accept the intervention
OF any power. This communication also
was Immediately transmitted to. our con-
sui at Pretoria, to be commuq Dated to
the president OF the South African repub-
lie So far as we are informed, the Unit
ed States was the only government In the
world of all those approached by the
South African republics which rendered
its good offices to either OF the combat
ants In the interest of a cessation of hos
tilities. n.
las allusion had been made to The
Hague conference. and as action had been
suggested based upon that instrument,
II may be well to quote a phrase from
Article III, which states:
Powers stranger to the dispute may
have the right to offer good offices or me-
diation even during the course OF HOSTILE
ties and Article ", which says: The
functions of the mediator are at an end
when once II Is declared, either by one of
the parties to the dispute or by the me-
diator himself, that the means of recon-
Citation proposed by him are not ac-
cepted.'
This would seem to render any further
action of the United States unadvisable
under existing circumstances. The steps
taken by the president in his earnest de-
sire to see an end to the strife which has
caused SO much suffering may already be
said to have gone to the extreme limit
permitted to him. Indeed II In his dis
erection he had chosen not to present to
England the South African request for
good Offices, he might have justified his
action by referring to the following dec
laration, which was made in the very act
OF signing The Hague convention by the
plenipotentiaries of the nited States:
Nothing contained in this convention
shall be so construed as TO require the
United States of America to depart from
its traditional policy OF not intruding up
with questions of policy or internal adj
ministration of any foreign state: nor
shall anything contained In the said con-
vention be construed to imply reln-
auishment by the United States of Amer
tea OF it's traditional attitude toward pure
ly American questions
Must Remain Neutral.
1.-THE president sympathizes heartily in
the sincere desire OF all the people of the
United States that the war which Is now
affiicting South Africa may, for the sake
of both parties engaged. come to a speedy
close: but, having done his full duty In
preserving n strictly neutral position be-
tween them, and In SELLING the first OPP
portunity that presented itself for tender
Ing his good Offices in the interests of
peace. he feels that, in the present cir
cumstances, no course Is open to him ex-
cept to persist in the policy of impartial
neutrality. To deviate from this would
be contrary to all our traditions and all
our national interests, and would lead to
consequences which neither the president
nor the pedDle Of the United States should
regard with favor"
Great Britain Satisfied.
London, May 22.-The reply of the
Washington government to the Boer
peace ENJOYS satisfies Great Britain
and corresponds with the predictions
made here.