The state herald., 1900-02-23
LETTERS WERE OPENED.
Consul Macrum Has Evidence Thst the
British Censor Tsupsrod With His Mall.

Denver, Feb. 2O.-The Rocky Noun
| tain News this morning prints the fol-
lowing special dispatch from Wash
| ington:
Your correspondent to-day had long
| interview with Charles Il. Macrum, re-
| licved from the consulate at Pretoria
through the grace of Secretary Hay
md the British government. The writ
er has seen the proof of Macrum's
main charge, namely, that United
States official mail was opened by the
British censor. Mr. Macrum had sew
eral envelopes. each bearing the Brit
ish sticker applied to the envelope af-
ter 1t had been opened by the censor
He has one envelope which contained
mail matter from Consul General
Stowe ut Cape Town. 1t is the regn-
lation blue of the consular service. 1t
bears upon Its face the legend. ~. $.
Consular Service" and u stamp. Mail
suspended" On the reverse side is the
United States government seal I'M
pressed upon the read sealing wax of
the consular service. The British
sticker, resealng the letter after 1t had
been opened. bears the potential Initials
~ r." the initials of the clerk who
opened the letter, the name of the place
where 1t was opened.
1t will astound Americans TO know
that the British authorities are famil-
lar with the. American consular code.
On November Sth Mr.. Macrum sent u
cablegram In code to the State Depart
ment urgently requesting he be per-
mitted to come home. Usually cable
grams. because of the difference in
time between South Africa and this
country. consume two days in trans
mission-that is to say, the cable sent
by Mr.. Macrum on October Sth would,
normally, have been received by the
State Department on October 10th.
But, on October 9th, before the cable
gram was received by the State De-
pnrtment certainly, and before 1t was
sent from South Africa probably, the
British papers in Natal, hundreds of
miles away, announced in impressive
type that Mr.. Macrum. the American
consul at Pretoria. desired to be per-
mitted to go home.
Mr.. Macrum Is here eager to answer
any and all questions. He will tell
senators and representatives personally
or in committee all about how Ameri-
ca and American interests have been
regarded by the British government in
South Africa. He is particularly anX-
ious TO avoid any charge of partisan
ship. for his sympathies are Republi-
can, his political interests are Republi-
can and his official friends are Republi-
can.
Relieving as did that was doing
my country n service by coming home
for the purpose of making an expiann-
tion. did not fortify myself with all
the official records l might have Sc
cured.
MY amaZement may he imagined
when | learned from Assistant Secre-
tary Hin officially what had heard In
Europe unofiicially, that had been re-
moved and some one else-the secre-
tary's son. ] believe 1t is-appointed to
the post | had left, in American inter-
est only"
Has the State Department asked for
any proof of your charges?" was asked.
NO, the State Department has asked
nothing replied Mr.. Macrum. when
j found that had been removed as a
consular officer. | was In much doubt
as TO how II would be possible for me
to get an official report before the State
Department. II was because OF this
doubt that failed TO tell Assistant Sec
retary of State DIR. Hill. whom | es-
teen very highly, the facts of import
nnce am ready to relate to any con-
gressional committee that desires to
hear me.
III the State Department is making
an investigation. have received no re-
quest TO tell the department anything
! might know