The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-04-14
Ex-ASSlStant Secretary of the Interior
Tells Of the Bravery and For
titude OF the Beers.

IN Washington on the 9Th INST was
listened to by all the people the
Grand Opera House would hold.
Champ Clark and Senator Mason
were on the crowded stage,
England's acquisition of the dia-
mond fields at Kimberly Mr., Davis
characterized as transaction with
out a parallel 'for cupidity, dishonor
and injustice"
Davis described the causes of the
present war.
How long would the people of
our republic stand it if foreigners
from any country in the world were
to come here and after getting rich
i'll our gold mines would undertake
to control our government, and fail
ing to do so would endeavor to de-
stroy it," Davis asked
"The question ofthe naturalization
of foreigners in the South African
Republic is no more the business of
the British government than are the
naturalization laws of the Republic
of Mexico a matter of concern to the
Republic of the United States of
America. 1t is one of those ques-
tions of internal policy that pertains
only to the Transvaal Government.
The simple truth of the matter is
that the British Government forced
President Kruger into a quarrel
after he had done everything in his
power to avoid 1t. While negotia-
tions were pending, British troops
were being massed in South Africa.
THE Beers have been greatly
abused by the British because it is
alleged they began the war. In
other words, the Beers would not
wait until all the British troops had
arrived in South Africa. That great
civilized nation of 400,00O,0O0 of
people complain; because because the people
of the two little republics, who 9-t1ori
not number, all told, more than
100000 people, including women
and children, insisted upon issuing
their ultimatum and then proceeded
to give battle before the British
hosts should arrive.
"We have seen many charges made
that the Beers have frequently out
ragged the white flag and the Red
Cross flag. Upon investigation we
learned that this was set up job to
deceive not only the people of Great
Britain, at home, but to deceive the
people of other civilized countries.
"On the top of Spion Kop, when
that wonderful battle was almost
over a young Boer soldier-not
more than II years of age-was
passing by wounded British sol
der and the British soldier asked
him for a drink of water; as the ten
der hearted Boer lad was kneeling
down by his side to let him drink
water from his own canteen that
British soldier thrust bayonet into
the poor boys side. And l myself
talked with him, and kneeling by
him, shed tears when he died.
During the battle Of Dundee there
was lull in the firing, the Beers
seeing a buggy approaching them
rapidly and floating a white flag.
All awaited its arrival. At dis
tance OF about 600 yards from them
the buggy stopped, wheeled about,
dropped the white flag and that in
nocent-looking buggy was suddenly
transformed into a murderous
Maxim gun, which felled nearly
dozen Beers. talked with the man
who captured that flag and saw it
myself That flag is now in the pos
session of Col. Blake, the brave
American soldier who commands the
Irish brigade, which is composed al
most entirely of Irish-Americans,
and no Drawer men are in the Boer
army, said Gen. Joubert to me.
when the hight began after the
British had occupied Spion Kop"
he said, "a giant Boer, in the prime
of strength and m anhoad, was seen
carrying a small Boer flag He fell
to rise no more An old white-haired
veteran picked up the fallen banner
and, waving it, urged his comrades
on. A shell laid him low. Ere the
little flag touched the ground, how
ever, barcfooted lad, 10 years of
age, fighting in his shirt sleeves,