Arizona silver belt., 1900-04-12
WEBSTER DAVIS
Assistant Secretary of the Interior Has Resigned
 His Office.
TO PLEAD THE BoERs CAUSE
Says They Are Making the Most Gal lant fight for Liberty and Jus tice yet Recorded in the
 History of Nations.

Webster Davis, assistant secretary of the interior, has resigned because of his pro Boer proclivities. MT. Davis reasons are that he desires to speak in behalf of the BOers and can not do so occupying his present posi- tion without embarrassing the admin istration. So he decided to resign public office, that he might devote himself to the cause. Mir. Davis gave the San Francisco Examiner the fol- lowing signed statement:
 lis simply matter of conscience and sympathy for the Boers on my part. Shortly after the close of the last campaign in Ohio, l found myself worn out with continuous speaking for several weeks during the campaign and my physician told me it was abso- lutely necessary for me to take long sea voyage. My old friend and neigh bor, Col. J. G. stowe. now United States consul general at Cape Town, Africa, had been importuning me Tor two years to visit South Africa. l concluded the proper time for me to make such visit had arrived. Not having had any vacation for three years of my official term. asked leave of absence. which was kindly granted by the president and the secretary of the interior,
 First I went to Cape Town and was treated nj .ely there by my friend and also by His Exceilency Sir Alfred Mil- ner, governor of Cape Colony and oth- CT officials. and this, too, when it was well understood that l was on visit simply for my health and recreation, and not on any government mission whatever. After this l went to Lo- renzo Marques for the purpose of try ing to get into the South African re- public as had great anxiety to see and hear the BOer side of the contro- yersy. for I had a suspicion that their side was not getting properly before the public. as it was well understood that all cable lines were under the control of the British and the censor made it absolutely impossible for the Boers to get anything favorable to them either over the wires or through the mails.
 At Lorenzo Marques. after most cordial reception rendered me volun- tarily by the governor and governor general of the Portuguese province of Mozambique. | received a telegram from Secretary Reitz of the South Al rican Republic inviting me to be- come the guest of the government and that President Kruger would send his private ear to take me to Pretoria. l accepted the hospitality just as had accepted the hospitality of the British officials at Cape Town and of the Portuguese officials at Delagoa bay.
 At Pretoria l was given most hearty reception. Secretary RelH and the other government officials met me at the station and conducted
 
 time in the Orange Free State and the South African Republic saw much Of the Boer people in the cities, on the farms, in public and private life, i'll laagar, on the way to the front and on the battle fields, and soon concluded that no people in the world had ever been so badly abused and SD badly misrepreSented, for kinder hearted, a more generous or nobler people can not be found anywhere.
 Not wishing to cmbarrass the ad- .ministratiOn m any way, have re- signed my office so that l may feel free to give expression to my views. My heart bleeds for those poor uufor- tunate Beers, who. without money and without resources, are making the most gallant fight for liberty and jus tice yet recorded in the history of na- tions. And feel that if were stand ing absolutely alone in America for their cause, yet I would do so with courage aud lirmness.
 WEBSTER DAVIS.
 Secretary Davis promised the peo- pie of the Transyaal that he would tell the people of the United States of the existing situation in South Af- rica, and he proposes to re deem his pro mise. When he returned to Washing ton two weeks ago he found that the ad- ministration was committed to Il pol icy of non-intervention aud for that reason he. as member of the admin istration. was debarred from speaking his mind. The promise weighed upon him, however, and rather than break faith with the people of the Trans vaal he determined to give up his pol itical position.
 The circumstances surrounding the giving of this promise are pathetic. Mr. Davis had been at Cape Colony, where he had seen the British military operations and had met British of ficials. He went to Pretoria, where