The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-01-05
A PLEA FOR THE BOERs.

In q open letter to Mr.. w. T. Stead
, and Sir William Vernon Harcourt on
the Anglo-Transvaal war, Professor
Cesare Lombroso, an Italian, makes a
plea for the Beers that should appeal to
every Englishman and to every Ameri-
can who has any sense of justice and
who believes in the sacred principles of
liberty and independence. Professor
Lombroso in his letter to these distin-
guished Englishmen gentlemen says:
The younger and liberal element of
| Italy feels it duty bound to congratulate
| you on the courageous protest you have
entered against the English nation for
their barbarous war against the Trans
vaal. r- ..
We Italians, having just emerged
| from an obnoxious tyranny and being
| now in danger of a worse evil, feel more
keenly than any other people the need
of liberty and deep sympathy for the
weak and oppressed; haholding the war
increasing greatness IF the AnslU-SaX-
on race rendered more and more bril-
liant by the emancipation of thought,
of politics and by the full freedom of
international commerce, we look with
confidence to England as a mighty
rescurer Of the oppressed peopIes-the
Greeks, the Hebrews, the Armenians-
from the tyranny of barbarians and
semi barbarians. We believe that help
would be offered not by hypocritical
well sounding phrases, but by actual
direct and material aid Great Britain,
with it's all powerful strength and in
Httnt 4 An. ~
halt to enthrone and crown tyranny.
Instead we are wofully undeceivde.
Your American brothers are warning
against the independence seeking Fill
pinos, and still worse is the war of
your government against the Beers.
For this latter conflict we can not
even justify the unchristian excuse that
the Beers do not strictly belong to the
Anglo-Saxon race. They are Caucasians
to the core, decendents of the noble peo-
pie of Europe from which, as in Eng
land, came the greatest expounders of
liberty and truth. Like you they are
Protestants. They have twice conquer
ed with great sacrifice of life the
lands of which England would rob
them.
l know, gentlemen, that your noble
protest against this unholy war pro-
voked the wrath of your people, but
don't dismay. Be proud of it, for the
votaries Of justice and of great causes
have always been in the minority. In
deed, the smaller the number of its ad-
herents, the more potent the cause
This is pre-eminently true when a war
is in question.
All nations at their birth have been
involved in wars and struggles at home
and abroad. The lower man and every
individual be he prince or subject,
fosters the barbarous instinct Once
this instinct gets the best of him he
losesevery sentiment of justice, of
generosity and truth. Liberal public
opinion of Europe sees in this action
on tht part of England the violation
OF the most sacred principles of
liberty and national independence. Nor
will Europe be aked If Great Britain
will succeed in subjugating the small
country, the population of which would
not make much more than a London
suburb. Yea, a complete victory can
only end in shame and disgrace for the
stronger nation.
Could the contest of the Transvaal be
called victory for Great Britain, whose
strength is three hundred times that
OF the Beers? Think of mighty, free
and civilized nation attacking a small,
free people who, enclosed in it's limited
territory, lead a patriarchal life,
threatening nor harming anyone, ask
ing only TO be permitted to let live in
peace and the enjoyment of national
independence.
Worst of ALL the worship of the golden
calf Is at the bottom OF the whole
trouble. Greed for gold is the motive of
this unholy war. To promote the in
terests Of the Chartered Company thou
sands of lives must be sacrificed. This
war carnot be Justified even by the
sophistical pretext OF an impediment TO
the expansion Of English influence or