The sun., 1900-02-02
A POPULAR SENTIMENT OF CRAZE
IMPORT.
Inc American People and the south Afri-
can war.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sr: My own
observation agrees with that of your brooklyn
correspondent to-day. In finding that tho vast
majority OF our people sympathize with tho
boers. such friendinoss toward England In
making war upon them as | find expresseh
Is rather negative than positive In nearly every
instance. II Is simply feeling that IN view OF
lhglnnd's attitude during our war with spain,
u IL not now becoming in us to take sides
against her when she IL IN misfortune. though
there Is also fear in some commercial ana
financial circles that while our interests would
be subserved by the triumph OF tho British
Empire they would suffer as consequence
o' any harm done to It in South Africa.
This feeling OF friendness toward England.
however, whether generated by honest sym
pathy or by interested motives. has grown
weaker as the South African war has proceeded
with steady and uninterrupted victory for the
Beers. Tho brave fight the people OF the two
little republics are making against the British
Empire Is winning universal admiration. and
even timid commerce and finance are dis
covering that there Ia no reason for their
alarm lest that Empire should be broken
up and they should suffer from its dis
ruption. The stock market It will be
observed has cut itself loose from all
such misgivinGs, and is reaching the sensible
conclusion that the demand for our products
created by the war and the setback 1t Is giving
English industries because OF the distraction
OF labor and OF shipping. Is beneficial rather
than injurious to u.s.
Putting aside. however these interested con-
slderations as unworthy and turning to
moral influences wholly, 1t would be COM
plete reversal OF all American sentiment since
the establishment Of this republic II our SYM
rathies did not 70 out 10 the Bocrs In the
first place. theirs il q republican form OF gov
eminent contending for independent exist
ence against the attempt OF the British mon-
archy. now openly avowed by Lord Salisbury.
to destroy II. Crit tcism OF those republics Is
made on the ground that they are republican
in form only. that IN spirit they are ogarchi-
cal. but. a. n matter OF fact. as the Rev. DR..
Nevin has testified from personal ex-
perience. the Orange Free State, one OF
them. is one Of the best governed
States in the world and genuinely repub-
lican The assumption OF the British
Outlanders who live. or rather soIourn.
In the Transvaa. but are not OF It. that they
should be admitted to its government without
giving up their allegiance to the Queen is the
main ground on which the accusation that 1t is
an oligarchy is made, but II that is accepted.
every State is oligarchical. Participation In gov
eminent always implies the obligation to sup
port it with arms. If necessary, against any
other 1t does not contemplate divided ale
glance DO not complain Of the British resi-
dents Of the Transvaal that they desired and
sought TO control it. That was inevitable. and
naturally they would have secured the end they
were after, in the course OF time, II they had
not undertaken to enforce their outrageous de-
mand AS right. The gold mines would event
ually have drawn thithcr so preponderant a
population Of English sympathies that in the
natural course OF events they must have
swamped the comparatively stationary Dutch
population and secured the political mastery.
To attempt to force that result Immediately
was to forfeit the countenance and sympathy
OF all fair minded men, even In England itself
agree. therefore. with your editorial view
OF to-day, that If 1t is possible 70 offer the
friendly mediatorial Offices Of the United
States. with the purpose Of restoring peace In
South Africa. they should be offered That
such proceeding on the part OF our Govern
meut would receive the almost unanimous APP
pause OF the American PEOPLE is think. quite
unquestionable, and that it would be prudent
as matter Of politics purely. | am
altogether convinced. Tho deep popu-
lar feeling of sympathy with the Beers
burns all the moro intensely because
II has found so little expression In either
the newspapers or the course Of the Govern
ment. Politically. so far as concerns the
Republican party. II seems to me to
be a feeling which cannot be disregarded with
out the gravest dangers. If this South African
war shall continue during the coming presi-
Dental campaign it may have the profOundest
political consequences for us by arousing pop
ular feeling which will make merely secondary
even domestic questions which now seem TO DO
OF paramount Importance II seems to me wholly
perlous to leave TO the opposition the oppor-
tunity 10 hitch its evil cause to the powerful i'm
pulse Of this earnest and pervasivo American
sentiment, | know how feel myself in the
matter. and | am confident that my feeling is
the prevailing emotion OF my countrymen.
Why is 1t that there is so much and SO eager
American interest in this South African WARP
Relatively it Is a small and actually 1t is u far
away conflict, yet the suspense and the excte-
mont over it are even greater than was the in
terest in the gigantic Franco German War.
This popular concern Is only less than it was
when our war with Spain was In progress The
South African conflict has been struggle Of
overshadowing importance in the mind Of
every American. Why is that2 Is there any
evidence that IL Is due to sympathy
with England Ask the men in the crowds
about the bulletin boards which record
the Boer victories? Ask your own heart.
What reason is there in morals or International
justice why the American people should favor
England = pretentions in this war No matter
how deep may be our gratitude for the course
OF England toward US in our conflict with Spain
that is not a strong enough feeling TO stine
our republican svmpathies and lead us
to espousc England's cause whether right
or wrong Why as republicans should not our
hearts go out to the little republics which are
commanding the admiration ofS Il the world by
their bravo defence of their independent ex-
istcnce
Ia certain quarters. distinguished for their
un- American spirit, there is n pretence OF put.
ting our military operations for the suppress
sion OF insurrection IN the Philippines on the
same moral and political plane with this Brit
ish effort to destroy the South African repub-
lies but. Of course. the two are radically dis
Government in the Philippines or against a
united and free people. We are simply seeking
TO restore order to peoples who would bo the
victims OF anarchy If We did not Icrform
that duty for them after the sole re-.
sponsibiity for their welfare had
been imposed on Us. They have never
united In support OF the Aguinaldian pretence
1. & A.