The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-18
TALK WITH DOM
PAUL AT HOME.
Wanted to Know Why America
Merely "Sympathized."
IN THE NOUN rAINs.

The Old President Declared the Beers
Would BE Able to Resist Indef-
initeiy - Disappointed
In the Kaiser.
Away back the first of last July, |
when the Boer cause did not look alto
gether hopeless by any means, John T
McCutcheon, the staff writer of the Chi |
cago Record, had a long talk with Presi-
dent Kruger, at his home at Waterfall
Onder. McCutcheon has Just told the
story Of the interview In his paper,
and 1t Is interesting for the insight 1t
gives into the character Of the old man
who for so many years has guided the
ill-starred republic. This Is the way
McCutcheon tells the story:
To-day I was given an interview by
the president in his little white cottage
behind the hotel garden. He had just
finished his morning conference with
some of the higher government officials,
and Mr.. Reitz, the secretary Of state;
Mr.. Malherbe, the treasurer-general;
Mr.. Marais, the auditor-g general; Mr..
Bredell, the commissioner Of police, and
M. Jacobs, his secretary, were still with
him In the tiny room used as sitting
room and COT lcil hamber. A large
table stood in the center of the room.
and a smaller one, for the use of the
secretary, stood over in the corner.
These two tables and the number of
chairs about The larger one so nearly
filled the little room that there was
barely space left to walk two feet in
any direction without melting a chair or
the edge of table.
"Mr Kruger sat at the farther end
Of the table in large upholstered chair,
probably one from his private car. His
silk hat lay on the table, and his head
was bare, while his thin hair was
con- bed straight back from his forehead
until it reached his neck. A little gold
sold earring hung from each ear; his
eyes, which were red and inflamed, were
closed when I entered, but opened for a
| couple of seconds and then closed again.
Throughout the interview, which lasted
| nearly half an hour, his eyes were kept
closed as IL the light hurt them, and
even when he was talking they would
never remain open FOR more than few
| seconds at time.
FIGHT TO THE END"
His big figure and massive shoulders,
stopped and round; his head bent for
ward on his breast; his huge, heavy fea-
| lures, so unlike those Of any other man
in the world; his somber black clothes,
his big hands and stolid feet, made a
picture which one would never forget.
| He arose and shook hands when Sec
retary Reitz INTRODUCED me. and then set
| tied back in the arm chair, his red, in
| famed eyes opening and closing as he
looked me over.
1t is said that he generally opens a
conv ersation with a stranger by first OF
all inquiring If the stranger Is a friend
of Cecil Rhodes. Should the stranger
answer that he is, the conversation goes
no further. for of all men in the world
Dom Paul hates no other as bitterly as
he does Mr.. Rhodes. In my case, how
ever, he omitted the customary query
possibly because of Mr.. Reitz's intro
ductory explanation of my business II
tie Transvaal. Instead Of saying any
thing he blinked painfully as he waited
while Mr.. Reitz interpreted my frs
words, which expressed the interes
Americans were taking in the Boe
war. Mr.. Reitz had barely finishe,
speaking before the president began hi
|
and determined, and noticed his hands
opening and clinching as he spoke.
"The president wants you to tell hi
Amer lean friends that the Beers are go
ing to fight to the end, even If the Brit
ish push the war into the mountains"
Again Mr.. Kruger began speakin;
with even greater vigor and energy
: SYMPATHY IS NOT ENOUGH.
"The president is grateful for Amerl
can sympathy. Every week he receive
hundreds of letters from all sorts OF pee
pie in the United States, and they al
tell him how deeply they sympathiz
with the Beers in the present struggle
But sympathy alone, he says, does lit
tie good. If big bully is striking an
abusing a little child you must help tn
child II ou expect to do it any good
. You can't help it If you pass by and onl,
, say I'm sorry"
AS Mr.. Reitz finished this interpreta
tion Mr.. Kruger turned to me suddenl
ard spoke as IL appealing to my judg
ment and support of his sentiments.
What would you do If you saw
man beating a child? Would you mere
. ly stand by and do nothing but expires
sorrow and regret?"
AS this was being repeated by MI
Reitz the old man looked at Mr. Nal
herbe and Mr. Marais for their acquies
cence, which was given in couple o
vociferols mods of assurance.
Desiring to find whether the presiden
was basing any hopes upon outside in
fiuences 1 referred to the present criti
cal conditions in China, and expresse
belief that England might becom
. deeply involved in other dfficultie
which would demand withdrawal o
some Of her troops from South Africa
! How would the Transvaal war be af
fected by the breaking out Of Euro
pean war?
1.-THE president says that it stands I
reason that big war which would di
vert England's forces elsewhere woul
certainly help us, but that the Beers ar
going to continue fighting without de
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