The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-20
A FELL BLOW AT FREEDOM
THE WAR AGAINST THE BOERS
so CHARACTERIZED.
WAGED BY THE BRITISH MONEY POWER
The Occasion Of the Speech Was The Question
as to Whether Our Government Had Re-
cognized Diplomatic Representative
From the Ira nsvaaI Republic,

From the Ira nsyaal Republic,
Washington, Jan. ia speech, SEN
sational in its interest and international
in its Importance was delivered in the
Senate by Mr. Hale, Rep.. Me.) The
occasion of its utterance was the simple
question whether a. resolution introduced
by Mr.. Allen, pop, Neb), calling for
information as to the recognition by this
country of diplomatic representatives of
the Transvaal Republic should be direct
ed to the President or to the Secretary of
State. Mr.. Hale made the question the
text of an imprisoned speech in which
he declared that nine tenths of the Am
erican people sympathized with the Beers
I'm their gallant struggle for liberty
against one of the greatest powers in the
world.
He spoke with unusual force, decisive
ness, even for him, and his passionate
eloquencc claimed the closest attention Ci
every auditor.
At the opening the Allen resolution,
calling upon the Secretary of State for
information as to whether any represen-
tativc of the Transvaal had applied to the
United States Government for recogni-
tion and if such application had been
mnde if lit had been accepted, and If not
why not was laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Spooner, (Wis.) moved that the
resolution be directed to the President
and he be requested to furnish the infor-
matiom if not incompatible with public
interests.
The Senate had no right to demand
information from the President. but the
President was the absolute judge as to
whether it was proper to communicate
the information asked for He utterly
Tepudiated he said, the doctrine advanced
repeatedly by Senators that the people
were entitled to information from day to
day regarding the conduct of our foreign
business.
1t was perfectly manifest, he thought,
that diplomacy to be successful must be
secret 1t was evident too, that from
the status of foreign affairs the Secretary
of State was the servant of the President
and not of Congress.
Mr.. SpoOner maintained that the Presi-
dent ought to have discretionary power
about giving cut information as it was
given not only to the American people
but to the world. Even information Civ
en- by the President in executive session
could net always be held in confidence
Mr. Allen held that the Secretary of
State could with perfect propriety be
reached by such a resolution as his. He
declared the matter with which his resO-
hutton dealt was a matter of record-of
history-and could not. he thought, affect
any diplomatic negotiations.
"All that we want" said Mr.. Allen, us
information"
Mr.. SpOoner regarded it as gross impu-
dence to call upon the Secretary of State,
and a reflection upon the Senate itself
to ask fer the transmission of confidential
information for which the President alone
was responsible.
Mr. Allen replied at length to Mr..
Spooner, in the course of which he said
1t had been reported throughout the cOun-
try that the Populist party had gone to
pieces.
POPULIST PARTY NOT DEAD.
II say to you, Mr.. President" said
Mr.. Allen, that these statements are
circulated with political purpose. There
are more Populists i'll the country today
than ever before. We can cast 2,oOO,-
900 votes and NOT all of those voters are
fools either The organization, FAR from
having gone to pieces, rs stronger TO-DAY
than at any previous time
In opposition to the amendment. tdT.
Teller expressed his sympathy with the
Beers
Mr.. Hale (Maine) did not regard the
amendment as essential that either the
President or the Secretary of State
should give to the American people in
formation regarding the negotiations be-
tween the United States and Great Brit
ain and the Transvaa.
Il have yet to he made to believe" he
said, that any duly accredited repre-
sentative of that brave people in South
Africa has appeared before the Preside It
of the United States and been denied a
hearing If that he true, the sooner we
are informed about it the Better for
the American people.
Il do not doubt that the American
people agree with me that the war which
Great Britain is waging is the most foul
blow at human liberty that has been
struck in the last century. | do not
doubt that the Administration represent
ing the people of the United States feels
today as | feel on the subject~-and as
nine-tcnths of the American people
feel
He quoted from a speech of Mr.. Bal
four in which the British statesman had
declared the Boer war had knit together