Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-22
BO(RS VISIT hK|NLEY
Krugsr's ENJOYS Pay Their Respects
to the President at White
House
Are Given q Cordial Reception, But
No Hope For American
Intervention. I.
Further Particulars Of the Meeting
With Secretary Hay at State
Department.

Washington, May 2.-Fischer, Vessels
and Wolmarans, the three Boer envoys,
visited the white house at 10 this morn-
ing to pay their respects to Mckinley.
They We're received in the blue parlor,
no one being present but themselves. the
president and Secretary Cortelyou. Re-
ferring to Intervention, the visitors I
stated their purpose in coming to this /
country, saying they understood what
Secretary Hay told them yesterday was !
final and that the position of the United (
States was that this country could not /
interfere in the present struggle of I
South Africa. The president confirmed /
this view and said that when England
declined the offer OF mediation made by /
the United States some time ago, there
was nothing further the United States
could do in the premises. The ENJOYS
intimated that they were glad they had
friends in this country and then bade |
the president good by.
Washington, May 22.-When the meet
ing with Secretary Hay was over, after
lasting an hour, the Beers in departing.
stated to a number of newspaper men
that they had nothing to say as to what
had happened. 1t is known, however,
that Mr.. Fischer reviewed the causes
leading to the war, going back to the
Jameson raid. He confessed that errors
had been committed on both sides. The
statesmen of South Africa had a public
opinion to deal with, and this public
| opinion was intolerant of anything Brit
! ish. 1t was suspicious and unappeas-
able. The states, though little. had
! dignity to protect. Above all their people
| belived, their leaders believed that
| Britain meant war. meant destruction
lit was only a question of how to save
the lives Of their republics. and retain
their liberty. President Kruger's ulti-s
matum, seemingly offensive, was there
fore only a measure of prompt and
heroic defense
We have come to the United States
seeking only peace said Mr.. Fischer.
I'VE do not come seeking advantage or
4 sharp terms. Wewant peace upon any
terms that will preserve our honor. We
d want to stop the war, to save the lives
\ OF soldiers in both armies, to prevent
suffering. We come in no spirit of de-
\ fiance. We throw ourselves upon the
mercy of the great American republic.
4 I'm some way, in any way that can
4 be convenient to your government, we
Task such action as will put stop to
Il the war. We believe we have the SYM
(! pathy of your people. We ask the
sympathy and support of your govern
5tment. We have at this time no definite
proposals to make. We only appeal to
the great republic of North America not
4 to permit the two little republics of
South African to be destroyed"
In reply Secretary Hay reviewed the
steps taken by the president in his
n earnest desire to see an end to the strife
may already be said to have gone to
y the extreme limit permitted to him. In
deed, IL in his discretion, he had chosen
mot to present to England the South
j, African request for good offices, he
might have justified his action by re-
Eferring to the following declaration
which was made in the very act of sign
ling The Hague convention by the plsn-
ipotentiaries Of the United States:
Nothing contained in this convention
/ shall be so&construed as to require the
lHUnited States of America to depart
i from its traditional policy of not in
4 s|truding upon. interfering with, or en-
) otangling itself with questions of policy
e or the internal administration of any
AOLSiSll SldtSs IiOA oAiS SAaAio SSAA7
r tained in the said convention be con.
!. .s.:rusSis 10 imply the REIMBURSEMENT by
e the United States OF America of its ira
S ditional attitude toward purely Ameri.
4 can questions.
e The president sympethizes heartily ir
: THE sincere desire Of all the people O
the United States that the war which
: is now afflicting South Africa, may 70
n the sake of both parties engaged, COM
+ to speedy close but having done hi
n full duty in preserving strictly neu
i Itral position between them and in seiz
n ling the first opportunity that presented
! itself for rendering his good offices ii
the interests of peace. he feels that, II
: the present circums tances, no course i
O open to him except to persist in tn
). policy of impartial neutrality. To de
MI yiate from this would be contrary I
q all our traditions. all our national in
y terests and would lead to consequence
which neither the president nor tn
q people OF the United States should re
n gard With favor.
! In his address to Secretary Hay Dele
gate Fischer spoke In manly wa
+. about the criticisms which have bee
offered concerning the conduct of tn
II commissioners since their arrival !
III America. He said he and his colleague
d had come here determined not to hav
.e anything whatsoever to do with domes
l. tic politics. 1t was not their fault tina
Il presidential election was Impending |
.s this country.
= 1--WE could not choose our time" sal
! Mr.. Fischer. "Our nations were en-
10 gagged in desperate struggle, and "
n were forced to come when we did. Nc
4 was it our fault. but rather our misfo,
tune, that the men OF one party gatf
cred about us in this country and OF
f fered us their advice and attention
al When a man came to us in a friendl
er way we could not stop to ask his pol
III tics. All we knew was that he was @
)u American citizen. We hope 1t will M
tx be held against us because we have a,
III cepted SUCH attentions or because y
lie have attended public meetings.
d. "If any OF your politicians In tn
in country have attempted to make advai
az tage from our visit here. that is o.
q misfortune. not our fault.
E-l The commissioners were last nisl
lsrsed by sulsers Clark. Allen and 9th