The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-01-06


pathy with the Beers and opposition to
England in consequence of the South
African war. Senator Mason of Hi
nois, Congressman Sulzer, Congressman
Cummings Of New York and others ad-
dressed the meeting.
Justice Fitzgerald Of the supreme
court presided. The entire house was
filed. The proscenium, the boxes and
the balconies were all decorated with
a profusion Of American flags. the green
Irish emblems and occasionally the
flags of the two South African repub-
lies. Justice Fitzgerald, after calling
the meeting to order, said:
1t is a great honor to be asked to
speak to this great audience tonight,
and TO join in expressing our deep in
dignation at the uniustifable war now
waged by Great Britain on the people
of the Transvaal, and to give utterance
to our sentiments of admiration for the
gallant stand being made by the en-
battled farmers of South Africa in de-
Tense Of their property, their lives, their
liberties.
The great heart of the American
people goes out to the people of lhe
Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
ciples; they are against the same soVer-
eign and relocated soldiers that fought
us a century ago, and would fight US
tomorrow if they dared, and thought 1t
would benefit them
Congressman Sulzer Speaks.
Congressman Sulzer spoke next. He
said, in part: Il am not ashamed to
have it known that my sympathy is
with the heroic Beers in their resolute
endeavOr and determined effort to
maintain their homes and their indie
pendence against the piracy and the
tyranny Of the British crown. 1 want
TO see them win in this contest, because
they are right. and deserve to win.
In my judgment, nine-tenths of the
American people are against England
in this matter and in sympathy with
the South Africa patriots. The courage
of the Beers in the face of tremendous
odds has challenged the admiration OF
mankind. and their herOiSm against al
most insurmountable obstacles has won
the respect of the civilized world. They
are entitled to cur sympathy, and we
would be false to ourselves and to all
our history if we did not give it to
them.
Fight for Their Homes.
1.-THE South African patriots are
white men. They are a good deal like
the patriots of our own revolution. They
love their homes, their freedom and
their liberty. They come from good old
Saxony ancestors from the north of
Europe. They are flesh of our flesh and
bone of our bone. They love free in
situations the same as we do, for the
sake of personal liberty. 1t comes to
them naturally and By inheritance.
Their love of liberty is not of a day or
of a year, but of centuries. They have
never been conquered, and. in my opin-
ion, no matter what others may think,
they never will be.
THE story Of the struggles and the
hardfhips of these brave men in South
Africa is one Of the saddest pages in
all HISTORIAN imperishable heritage to
their hardy and valorous descendants.
No one can impartially read it without
feeling a deep sympathy for them in
their present struggle 10 maintain their
freedom and independence against |
English greed for gold, English tyranny
and criminal British aggression for
land.
This conflict should be called Cecil
Rhodes war for goiu in South Africa |
He is responsible for all the woe, all the
sorrow, all the despair all the misery
this war has caused. The Beers have
made him practically a prisoner. He is |
shut up in his diamond mines at Kim |
berley. He win have to eat diamonds |
if he is not speedily rescued. 1 hope |
the Beers will capture him and give |
him an immediate trial.
Kruger is a Hero.
81 glory in the spunk of grand old |
Paul Kruger. He is one of the worlds |
great heroes. There is no doubt a Sc
cret understanding exists today be- |
tween the White House and Downing |
street. 1 am opposed to an Anglo
American alliance. expressed or inn /
piled especially when its object is the |
advancement of Imperialism, the march |
of armies, the downfall of republics, the !
destruction of free institutions, the en-
elavement of man and the perpetuity |
Of the power Of kings.
THE president should have offered /
the friendly offices Of this country to
prevent this cruel war. He should have |
responded to the great and mighty pc
tition for peace presented to him at the
beginning He should have acted on
the findings, the conclusions and the
Judgment of The Hague peace confer
ence. He could have done so consist
emily.
But the friends of free institutions
should not lose hope. We should not
despair. even though the White House
seems to be enveloped in the atmOs-
phere Of an English fog. 1t is not too
late for this republic to assert itself
in behalf Of republican institutions. 1t
is not too late for us TO demand an
honorable peace in the interest of hui
manity, Christianity and civilization.
Congress Should Act.
IF the president Will not act, con-
gress can-and congress should. 1 have
offered in the house of representatives
a Joint resolution protesting against the
war. granting the Beers belligerent
rights and instTucting the president 10
bring about a cessation OF hOStilities
and an honorable peace. This ought
to be done at once. I promise YOU 1
will do all in my power to pass that
resolution, and pass it will. in my opin-
ion. if the president continues to ex-
hibit symptoms Of Anglopho5ia.
Is American patriotism dead? Has
the spirit that animated the people in
1776 and 1872 been forgotten? Is the
Declaration Of Independence no longer
potent for the upbuiiding of republics
and the perpetuity Of free institutions? {
Is our form Of government a farce? Do
the great names and heroic deeds of the
fathers no longer appeal
TO us? Are we dead to American feel
ing and to national sentiment? Shall
we tear down our monuments, trample
in the dust the constitution, send back
TO France the statue Of liberty and turn
to the wall the picture Of the great
IF democracy and free institutions
find no answer here, then indeed are
republics a thing Of the past and the
message of the future an imperialistlc
cry Of destruction, of oppression and OF {
tyranny" {
Groans for Chamberlain.
When Congressman Sulzer, in the !