The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-02

There Is nothing more disgusting in
the course Of public comment upon men
and measures than the attempt Of a few
men to use the Boer war and the feel
ing evoked by It in this country for
political and personal ends. Liberty.
humanity, the struggle for indepen-
dence. the defense of an empire. all are
az nothing to these creatures but 80
many grindstones on which they may
sharpen their little axes. They all an
honest man with the same hot con-
tempt that would sweep over him II he
should see some one pass the hat for
relieving the distressed and then cooily
pocket the contributions.
We have no doubt that the great ma
jorlty OF the audience that filled the
Now York Academy Of Music the other
night consisted Of men who are SIM
ply. heartily and sincerely in sympathy
with the people OF the Transvaal They
remember our own struggles under CIR
cumstances SO similar They have only
recently been thrilled by our war in
behalf of the oppressed. They believe
that the Beers ought to win and hope
that they will. To entertain these sem
timents and to express them are the
right of free people. But what must
they have thought Of the men who, on
the platform. pretended to speak for lio-
erty while trying to divert the stream
of public feeling to turn the little mill
wheel Of party interest or personal
notoriety?
Congressman Sulzer was one Of those
speakers. We may pass over what he
said about the war. it's causes and con-
sequences. because this Is to be inter-
preted by what ne added afterward. II
Ia this: There is no doubt Of secret
understanding existing today between
the White House and Downing street"
For this assertion he had not the faint
est shadow of reason. He knew well
that 1t is false and cowardly; not even
admissible in ordinary political warfare.
but the sort OF thing that is done by
men who hold falsehood the equal OF
truth If 1t will fight their battles. Mr..
sulzer is Democratic congressman
from New York. His presence on that
platform was to foster party prejudice
and engender hatred of his opponents.
We think no more meanly of man
who should betray Boer army to the
British for gold than of one who would
use an occasion of this sort for publish
ing falsehood against his political op-
ponents.
| 1t ia against mock sympathizers Of
this stamp that every cause needs to
beware. Mason is another, though his
motive is little different. Mason Is
simply coarse, foolish, mush- Drained
fellow, who loves the sound of his own
voice and possesses an unappeasable
vanity. Having learned that no one
shares his amazing conceit that he is
fitted to dictate, he has to be satisfied
with abusing. His course on the Cuban
question. on the Philippine war. on
everything. his sham offer to resign his
seat. all the events of his brief public
life mark him as the man without the
wit to be real demagogue, who meas
ures every issue and every event by
the extent to which It can be used to
direct attention to himself.
There were good men on the plat
form at this meeting. and strong and
stirring speeches We're made. 1t is a
thousand pities that men like sulxer
and Mason should force themselves In:
men who care not one jot for Boer or
Briton or anything else in the world
/ but their personal fortunes. 1t is the
fate Of all strong emotion to be Knocked
by bathos, OF truth to rub shoulders
| with faIsehood. of great causes to have
| their parasites. When such men thrust
themselves into the midst of large