Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-22
Sentiments Expressed at Mass Meet
ing Held Last Evening.
DENOUECE The PRESIDENT
The Administration Accused Of Sc.
cretIy Opposing the Beers.
ESOLUTIONS ADOPTED

In speech and resolution the empire OF
Great Britain was condemned, last night,
at mass meeting of Boer sympathizers at
the Grand Opera House. The theater was
crowded from auditorium to gallery and
there were many hundreds unable to gain
admission. The crowd was an enthusiastic
one, and each word in condemnation Of
England and in praise Of the Beers and old
Ireland was caught up and cheered to the
echo. The speakers, with two exceptions,
were senators and representatives in Con-
gress. Representative William SulZer Of
New York acted as presiding officer.
The stage was decorated with American
flags. The members Of the committee in
charge of the meeting wore badges made
Of small streamers of red. white and blue
ribbons, surmounted by a green bow. On
the pendant ribbons were printed these
words: Sympathy for the Transvaal Re-
public and Orange Free State"
The meeting WaS arranged by the follow
ing committees:
Executive-P. T. Moran, national treas
urer Ancient Order Hibernians. chairman;
cane, president division No. 1, Ancient Or
der Hibernians, and president Emmett Club,
treasurer; Capt. Patrick O'Farrell, Col.
Louis Schade, editor Washington Sentinel;
Fred Schade, Rosa F. Downing, district
president Ancient Order Hibernians; Joseph
McEnery, president Irish-American Union;
John A. Gleeson. Frank o'Meara, J. j.
Gallagher, J. J. Horrigan, T. D: Harper,
Daniel Murphy, James A. Myers, William
J. Collins, P. ]. Haltigan, George w. Cook,
James F. Shea and Dominic Walsh.
On lnvitations-Capt Patrick OFarrell,
Lehman building; Col. Louis Schade, Fred
Schade and Daniel Murphy.
The Meeting Opens.
Mr. P. T. Moran called the assemblage to
order, and, after a brief speech, in which
he referred to 1.-The struggle for freedom
now being waged in South Africa" intro
duced Representative Sulzer. At this time
there were seated upon the stage among
many others. the following:
Senators Mason of Illinois, Allen Of Ne
braska and Tillman of South Carolina. ex-
Senator Fowler of Tennessee. Representa-
uves Champ Clark Of Missouri, Bailey of
Texas, De Almond of Missouri, Carmack
of Tennessee Rhea Of Virginia, Cox of
of West Virginia, Meyer of Louisiana,
Cochran of Missouri, Sulzer Of New York,
Lentz Of Ohio, Shackleford of Missouri,
Ridgley of Kansas, Lamb Of Virginia,
sui of the Free State at New York; DR..
Charles Stewart, F. T. Schrader, Colonel
Louis Schade, DR.. w. A Croffut, Major
g: Alarms A. A. Lipscomb. Franklin H.
Mackey. Captain Patrick OFarrell, Jack
son H. Ralston, P. T. Moran, Fred Schade,
representatives of the United Irish Socie-
ties and a large delegation of Irish-A meri-
cans and German-Americans from Balti-
more.
In the boxes and in the main body of
the audience there were many ladies, who
were as enthusiastic as the men in cheer
ing the speakers. The policy of the Ameri-
can administration in relation to the Philip
pines came in for round scoring during
the evening, the anti-expansion sentiments
being greeted with as much favor as the
defiance and criticism hurled at the Bri-
fish empire.
Chairman Suffers Address.
In assuming the leadership Of the meet
ing, Mr.. SulZer said, in part:
AS an American citizen, l am not
ashamed to have it known that my SYM
pathy is with the heroic Beers in their de-
termined effort to maintain their homes
and their independence against the piracy
and the tyranny Of the British crown l
want to see them win in this contest be-
cause they are right and deserve to win. In
a light between liberty and monarchy l
want to see liberty win.
Their cause Is a just cause. No one can
honestly dispute it. They are defending
their homes and repelling remorseless In
vader. England's attempt 10 steal their
country is an outrage, an act OF criminal
aggression. and should be condemned by
the Christian powers Of the world. In my
judgment, nine-tenthS of the American peo-
pie are against England in this matter and
in sympathy with the South African pa
triots.
In 1776 the patriot fathers of this re-
public fought England to gain our indie
pendence. The South African patriots to-
clay are fighting the same country to main
tain their independence. That Is the only
difference.
The courage of the Beers in the face of
tremendous odds has challenged the admit
ration of mankind; and their herojsm
against almost insurmountable obstacles
has Won the respect 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
The story of the struggles and the hard
ships of these brave men In South Africa is
one OF the saddest pages in all HISTORIAN
fmperishable heritage TO all lovers of lib
erty and to their hardy and valorous de-
scendants. No one can impartially read 1t
without feeling a deep sympathy for them
in their present struggle to maintain their
freedom and their independence against
English greed for gold, English tyranny
and criminal British aggression for land.
England must not be permitts to crush the
Beers and steal their homes. Her criminal
march of devastation must and will be
checked.
Must Demand Peace.
1--WE must do our duty. The great re-
public. In the name of liberty, humanity
and free institutions. must demand peace,
and make that demand good. We have a
right to express our sympathy for the pa
triotic Beers. We have a right to aid the
Red Cross Society in their behalf.
I'VE sympathized with Poland, with Hun
gary. with Greece, with all the South Amer
lean republics, with Armenia and with
Cuba. Many we helped. Why, ask. in the
name of all that is just and honorable,
should we now refuse to lend our moral
support and sympathetic aid to the patriots
of South Africa?
"A republic that has sunk so low that 1t
glories in the downfall of a sister republic
is in danger of destruction itself. A repub-
lie that refuses sympathy to a sister re-
public struggling to maintain its indepen-
dence against monarchical aggression is
unworthy of the name and in danger of
monarchy itself. A republic that will Sc
cretly connive and aid a monarchy to de-
stroy sister republic and blot out Its free
Institutions is republic rotten to the core.
and will soon fall like decayed tree on the
banks of turbulent stream, to be swept