The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-25
THE Beer REPRESENTATIVES VISIT
THE PRESIDENT.
NO HOPE FOR INTERVENTION
Mckinley Tells Them Secretary Hays
Answer Is Ffnal-To be No Further
Communication Between the ENJOYS
and the State Department - The
Former to Take up the second
Branch of Their Mission-To Stir up
Public Sentiment In Their Favor

CAlNOyo VII ~ III" III lHlS COuAlIs u
visited the White house at 10 o'clock
this morning, according to previousI
arrangement, to pay their respects to-
the president. No official status was
given the visitors and they presented
no credentials. The ENJOYS were re-
ceived in the Blue parlor. no one being
present but themselves, the president
and Secretary Cortelyou. A first the
conversation touched upon a variety of
subjects. The Beers talked about
Washington, told how they admired
the city, and the president escorted
them to the porch at the rear of the
executive mansion, where a splendid
view is obtainable of the Washington
monument and the Potomac river.
President Kruger's name was finally
mentioned and the visitors then stated
their purpose in coming to this coun-l
try. They said they understood that
what Secretary Hay told them yes
terday was final and that the positionl
Of the United States was that this
country could not interfere in the
present struggle in South Africa.
The president confirmed this view.
He said that the action he took some
time ago when at the request of the|
government Of the TranSvaa1 that this
government should interfere, he offered
his good offices to England to bring
peace) he did with great pleas
ure in the hope that it might possibly
bring the conflict to an end. This Of
fer had been declined by Great Britain|
and, he said, there was nothing further
that the United States could do in the
premises.
The ENJOYS intimated that they were
glad to feel that they had friends in
this country and hen bad the presi-
dent o bye.
The state department does not ex-
pect to have any further communica-
ton with the Boer delegation. Such in
terchange as occurred was purely I'M
gates had any credentials giving them
an official status, they failed to pre-
sent them, or even to mention them
Having had reason to anticipate the
declination of the United States gov
eminent to intervene in behalf Of their.
republics and having thus failed in
the primary object of their mission to
the United States, it is surmised that
the delegates will refrain from en-
~deavoring to establish a diplomatic
character, in order to reduce the liza
bility of interruption in the propa-
ganda they are about to conduct in
the country at large.
Although the United States govern
ment has, beyond doubt, the power to
stop this propaganda at any point, and
dismiss the delegates from the United
States, yet it can be STATED that there
is no likelihood of any such action
being taken so long as the agitation is
conducted by private Individuals; but
it is a at the state department, the
precedent established in the case of
Genet, the agent sent to this country
by French revolutionists, would re-
quire the government to peremptorily
stop the prosecution by fully accredited
diplomatic agents of a belligerent ma
ton, of efforts to aid their cause within
the United States through public de-
monStrationS.
1t is evident that the delegates made
a deep impression upon u officials
and it is said that it was only the plain
demands Of neutrality, as laid down in
Secretary Hays response to the Boer
representations that prevented the re-
turn of an answer that would have
been much more satisfactory to them.
The delegates were disappointed at
the response made by Secretary Hay,
indicating that up to the last moment
they had cherished a hope that the
United States government would be
favorably moved.
Now, however, that the answer is
returned, it is expected that the dele
gates will go at once about the second
branch of their business and begin a
series of mass meetings n public
demonstrations in the principal cities
of the United States, with a view to
affecting public sentiment and, per-
haps, indirectly influencing the terms
Of the peace which will conclude the
present war. It il gathered that r"
Beers are ready at h last extremity
to sacrifice everything for which they
have heretofore contended; to let in
the Uitlanders to equal privileges with
native Beers in the Transvaal and
Free State; to abandon the much
talked-of dynamite monopoly and in
fact to make any concession if the
victorious British will but allow them
independence, and they hope that the
American people will bring much mora.
pressure to bear upon the English that
this object can be attained.
Meanwhile, it is the opinion in Off.
cial circles here, that the prompt &C
ton of the state department in dis
missing the Beers application for in
~tervention has indirectly gone far to-
wards bringing about a speedy termi'
nation of the South African war. 1t i:
assumed that the delegates will finC
some means to communicate the unfa'
r reception or their appear u
Pretoria. In fact it is intimated that
the controlling British censors woulC
not stop any such message from pass
ing over the cables to Lourenzt
Marques, whence it might easily b'
forwarded to Pretoria.
The state department has not We
been addressed by any OF the powers
signatory to The Hague convention
asking our government to join Will
the twenty-five powers party to tn
peace conference in an effort 10 br1nt
about peace between the British an6
the Beers. 1t is doubted here whethel
more than a very few of the power'
are in a position to act thus, no mat
ter how inclined, because so far as tn,
state department has been Informed
not more than half a dozen in all, In
Guiding the United States, have We
given in their formal adherence TO tn
peace convention.