Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-22

WASHINGTON, January M.-Ths
Grand Opera House, the largest au-
ditorium in Washington, was packed
to the doors last night with an enthu-
siastic audience which vigorously ex-
pressed its sympathy with the Beers
in their fight with Great Britain. The
demonstration was planned as a
means Of evidencing public sentiment,
and in numbers and enthusiasm was
fully up to expectations. The speakers
included members of both branches OF
Congress and on the stage were other
public men, who came merely to add
their moral support. The keynote OF
the speeches was that the Beers were
fighting for their independence, as onr
forefathers had done in 1875. The
gathering assembled under the
piees of the United Irish Societies
and a number of leading Germans of
the city joined in the movement. The
decorations of the house were Amer
lean flags, with a fair sprinkling OF the
green of Erin. Among those who oc-
cupied seats On the stage were Sem
ators Mason, of Illinois; Allen, of Ne
braska, and Tillman. of South Caro-
lima; Representatives Clark, Dear
mond and Cochran, of Missouri; Bail
ey, of Texas; Carmack and Cox,
OF Tennessee; Rhea. of Kentucky;
Jones and Lamb, of Virginia;
Shaforth, Of Colorado; Dovener,
of West Virginia; Meyer, of
Louisiana; Sulzer, of New York, and
Lentz of Ohio, and MIR. Van Sicklen,
| representative of the Orange Free
State at New York. and representa-
tives Of the United Irish societies and
others. A large delegation of Irish
Americans and German-Americans
from Baltimore was in the audience.
The meeting was called TO order by
the chairman of the executive COM
mittee, NJ. p. l.. Moran. the national
treasurer of the A. o. of H., who, at
ter a few words of welcome. intro
duced Congressman Sulzer as the
presiding officer of the evening. Mr..
sulzer was greeted enthusiastically.
He said:
Representative William Sulzer. OF
New York, was selected as chairman.
MIR. SuIzer's Address.
Mr. SulZer said in part:
GAS an American citizen, ! am not
ashamed to have it known that my
sympathy is with the heroic Beers in
their determined effort to maintain
their homes and their independence
against the piracy and the tyranny OF
the British crown. In a fight between
liberty and monarchy I want to see
liberty win.
"Their cause is a just cause. Eng
lands attempt to steal their country
is an outrage, an act of criminal ag-
erosion. and should be condemned by
the Christian powers of the world.
IN 1776 the patriotic fathers of this
republic fought England to gain our
independence. The South African
patriots to-day are fighting the same
country to maintain their independ-
ence. That is the only difference.
1.-THE courage of the Beers in the
face of tremendous odds has chalIeng-
ed the admiration or mankind; and
their heroism against almost insur-
mountable obstacles has won the re-
spect of the civilized world. They are
entitled to our sympathy. and we
would be false to ourselves and to all
our history If we did not give it to
them.
England must not be permitted to
crush the Beers and steal their homes.
Her criminal march of devastation
must and will be checked.
eve must do our duty. The great
republic, in the name of liberty hui
mainly and free institutions, must de-
mand peace and make that demand
good. We have a right to express our
sympathy for the patriotic Beers. We
! nave a AA5hb ~ 0t0 tA| ASGu AkOSS CO~
ciety in their behalf.
we s~ympathized with Poland
with Hungary-with Greece-wfth all
the South American republics-with
Armenia and with Cuba. Many we
helped. Why, I ask. in the name %
all that Is just and honorable, should
we now refuse to lend our moral sup
port and sympathetic aid to the pat
riots OF South Africa? A republic that
refuses sympathy to a sister republic
struggling TO maintain its independ-
ence against monarchial aggression il
unworthy OF the name, ana in danger
OF monarchy itself. A republic that
will secretly connive and aid a mon
archy to destroy q sister republic and
blot out its free institutions is a re-
public rotten to the core. and will
soon fall like a decayed tree on the
banks Of a turbulent stream to ba
swept away forever. The defeat OF
the Beers viii be the severest blow
TO republican institutions that has
been struck In q century. and eyery