The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-22
BOERs GET ONLY SYMPATHY.
ADMINISTER ALTON HAS DECLINED 10
INTERFERE.

Boer ENJOYS Were Given a Hearing
by Secretary Hay After Which He
Issued a Statement of the Reasons
why This Government Can DO
Nothing to Stop the War-Shown
That Nothing Could BE Done Under
The Hague Treaty.
washington. May 21-The state depart
ment has met the issue raised by the
coming to Washington of the Boer dele
CATION by declining to interfere in behalf
of the South African republics in the pres
ent struggle.
In view of this announced decision all
questions as to the character of the recog-
milton to be extended to the delegates,
and the sufficlency of their credentials,
dropped at once into the background.
1t was, after ALL of Mttle moment wheth-
er or not the Beers were re-
ceived as diplomatic agents or
ministers, so long as they were
powerless to promote the prime object of
their mission, namely, cause the United
States government to interfere to bring
about peace.
The meeting between the delegates ard
Secretary Hay was brought about in the
simplest manner. Gen. o Beirne had Sc
cured from the department last Saturday
promise to enteria ain any credentials that
might be presented to-day. This morning
note came TO the state department from
the delegates asking that they be permitted
10 present themselvs at the department. A
prompt acquiescence was returned by Sec
retary Hay and at the hour fixed, 2:30
o'clock, the three delegates appeared and
were at once showed into the diplomatic
room. Secretary Hay, accompanied by
Mr.. Babcock, his private secretary and
stenographer, entered the diplomatic room
and cordially greeted his visitors.
Just what passed between them proba bly,
will never be exactly known, for when the
meeting was over, after lasting an hour,
the Beers in departing stated to a number
of anxious newspaper men that they had
and would have nothing to say as TO what
happened.
Secretary Hays Reply.
For his part the Secretary of State was
more communicative, but before making
any statement, made his way to the White
House and consulted the President. Then
he gave out, through his secretary, the
following statement:
''Messrs, A. Fischer, C. H. Vessels and
Mr.. A. D. W. Wolmarans, the delegates
in this country of the South African re-
pubiics, called to-day by appointment at
the state department. They were cordially
received and remained with the Secretary
of State for more than an hour. They
laid before the Secretary at much length
and with great energy and eloquence the
merits of the controversy in South Africa
and the desire of the Boer republics that
the United States should intervene in the
interest of peace and use its influence to
that end with the British government"
The Secretary of State made the follow
ing reply:
THE President, in his message TO the
Congress, last December, said: This gov
ernment has maintained an attitude of
neutrality in the unfortunate contest be-
tween Great Britain and the Boer states
OF Africa. We have remained faithful
to the precept of avoiding entangllng al
hances as 90 affairs not of our direct con-
Germ. Had circumstances suggested that
the parties to the quarrel would have
welcomed any kindly expression of the
hope of the American people that war
might be averted, good offices would havo
been gladly rendered.
Steps Already Taken.
las the war went on. the President.
while regretting the suffering and sacrl-
hces endured by both of the combatants,
could do nothing but preserve strict neu-
rality between them. This he has stead
lily and consistently done, but there new r
has been a moment when he would have
neglected any favorable occasion to use
MS coed offices in the interests Of pace"
The secretarys answer here reviews the
request for intervention made through
Consul Hay and the other steps her to-
lore announced. ending with Lord Sails
purys answer to our rep resentations say
ing that Her Majestys government could
Eot accept the Intervention of any Power
which communication was Immediately
transmitted fha ne ln
African republic through cur consul So
tar as we are informed, the United S ates
was the only government in the world of
al those approached by the South African
republics which rendered lis good offices to
elther of the combatants in the interest
oI cessation of hostilities.
Treaty of the Hague.
AS allusion has been made 20 The
hague convention, and as acton has bsen
suggested based upon that instrument, it
may be as well to quote a phrase from
Artile III, which states:
Fowers stranger to the dispute NAV
nave the right to offer good advices or
nediation even during the course of hos
sIlties'' and Article V, which says, The
1uucuons of the mediator are at an end
wheh once X is declared by either of
sHe 81, parties to the dispute or by the me-
ui"'or himself that the means of recon-
Gliaton proposed by him are not accept
mer action Of the United States unad-
"saDIe under existing circumstances.
/, Inc sseps taken by the President in
ns earnest desire 90 see an end TO the
s'rIe which has caused so much suffer-
!"s' may already be said to have gone
" tHe extreme limit permitted to him.
-nteed If in his discretion. he had chosen
nol 10 present to England the South Afri-
SSuA request for good offices, he might
Ts tive JUSTIFIED his action by referring to
INC following declaration which was
Imale In the very act of signing The
hague convention by the pienlpotentaries
Vi me United States:
.. Nothing contained In this convention
TTnaH be so construed as 10 require the
,Em,ed States of America to depart from
~, s traditional policy of not intruding
~ upyn interfering with or entangling itself
I'm I'm Questions of policy or internal ad-
,rls ira ton of any foreign stale; nor shall
hhny,hing contained in the said convention
" " construed to imply a REIMBURSEMENT by