The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-01
The Boer Commissioners.

The Boer Commissioners.
The announcement that the Boer COM
missioners will time their arrival In the
United States so as to reach here dur
ing the heat of a national campaign 10
somewhat suggestive. On the surface It
would seem that these commissioners
are to be exploited for political purposes,
and that they are being made the VIC
Tins of designing politicians, who care
nothing for them or for the cause that
they represent. but for possible effect
upon the political campaign. II the
Beers really desire to accomplish the OBJ
jects for which they are ostensibly COM
possibly be more inopportune. The heat
Of political campaign. just previous to
an election to determine the political
complexion Of the government and the
policies which 1t will adopt for four
years to come. on general principles
would seem precisely the time when new
questions of foreign policy and new in
ternational complications are certain to
be carefully avoided. or passed over for
future consideration. The Beers could
accomplish nothing with any admins
tration at such time.
II the Boer commissioners hope to in
terject their particular cause into the
campaign. and permit it to be exploited
for campaign purposes by one or the
other Of the political parties of this
country, making use OF their presence
here for that purpose. their action is
certain to be warmly resented by
large share of the American people who,
while sympathizing with the Beers in
their present war, look with sound rea-
son upon all interference Of foreigners
in our domestic politics as objectionable
impertinence.
1t will probably be found that the Boer
commissioners In this matter have ac-
eepted suggestions from the Democratic
politicians. whose professions OF sympa-
thy are designed purely for campaign
purposes. Nothing would please them
better than to have the Boer commits
sioners take these pretensions seriously,
and on their arrival in this country per-
NIT themselves to be taken In hand and
made catspaws for political effect. II is
probable that both the Democratic poll
ticisns and the Boer commissioners will
make a serious mistake II this is the pro-
gramme. and that the result win be to
arouse resentment at the impertinence
of the interference rather than any add
ed sympathy for the Boer cause.
Color is lent to this suspicion by the
remarkable interview given out by Mr..
Bryan in Chicago. He says that. were
he president, the party would express
sympathy" with the Beers In their con-
test with England. But sympathy is
cheap, 1t does not furnish soldier or
a gun, Mr.. Bryan reminds us of the
man who appealed to his auditors In be-
half OF poor woman who had been left
destitute. In the midst OF his eloquence
one Of his hearers put 1ve-dollar bill
In his hat and began passing 1t around
with the remark, II am sorry Ave dol
lars worth; how sorry are your"
whereupon the crowd melted away, and
the orator was the first TO disappear.
II is proper for Americans as indi-
viduals to express the sympathy that
they feel In the contest now going for
ward In South Africa. 1t would be i'm
proper and also worse than useless for
the government to do so. 1t has but
two choices. Either 1t must keep its
finger out OF this pie. or IT must issue
an ultimatum declaring that the war
shall stop, and prepare for the conflict
which would follow that act even more
certainly and swiftly than IT did our
demand upon Spain. Let there be no
cowardly skulking behind pretences.
Either We must, as a nation, keep out
OF this fsht or We must set into it with