New-York tribune., 1900-05-26
BOER DEBATE IN TUMULT.
COOPER UNION CROWD TAKES BOLSTER
Gus PART IN THE DISCUSSION.

There fun IN Cooper Union last night
than there is IN dozen good knockabout comedies
put together. The Peoples Institute held meet
ing the big hail. and the respective merits or the
British and the Boer causes in the South African
war debated before audience which did
not hesitate to express its opinions on the argu-
ments presented. The Cooper Union crowd loves
good cratoricai fight and when 1T was known that
the Boer be fought out forensically
every man. woman and child who attends the
Cooper Union meetings came around TO hear ana
take part in the discussion
The speakers for the British side were DR.. Henry
A. Wolf. who spent many years in South Africa,
and Thomas c. Shearman. John j. Rooney and
Major McCrystal. late of the 6sth Regiment up
held the Boer cause.
When Major McCrystal rose to answer for the
Beers there wild burst of applause and the
audience got ready TO show where it stood. Major
McCrystal gave them plenty of chances. He start
ed off by describing the part of the British In the
war as the ''foulest conspiracy that ever smirched
tie fair of civilization. and then he declared
that DR.. Wolf had made las fair a case for as
foul cause as espoused." He told of
the finished tyranny and indescrbable oppression
oe British civilization and then when he men
toned the name OF KriGer pandemonium broke
loose.
in emphasis
"All the Beers have DONE he said. lis to save
their liberty from these murderers and robbers
And they speak Dutch. thank God! They are re-
moved from the influence Ct tne lnSlulouS anu
poisoned English literature that would sap the
very blood of the State
''Hooray!' yelled the audience. 60 for EN-
again. That's corker!'
s--'of State which is resisting one of the vilest
and most damnable and hateful attempts to
strangle republcsnism which has ever been made
:n the history Of time"
The audience pro-Boer almost to a man, was
wide awake with enthusiasm and ardor, and
longing for Thomas G. Shearman, the next
speaker. filed their cup OF enjoyment TO the brim.
He was not impassioned as his predecessor, but
he was on the wrong side. in the audiences view.
and lie spoke in plain English.
Il sympathize with the Beers, like my friend the
Major" he said. II did with Butler for a while, to
tell the truth. But wait till Roberts gets through"
This was too much and the audience broke loose:
For fully five minutes there such bedlam OF
Kisses, hoots and groans as must have been au-
diole in HIrlem. Charles Sprague Smith, the pre-
siding officer, besought and commanded silence,
but he had to wait.
oh never mind" said Mr.. Shearman. The
devil always speaks in Kisses and like to have
MIN for change sometimes" That brought an
other salYo of misses.
do you Know what KRUGER said to the Outland-
e-sg said Mt shearman He said You're ike
they're good ] let them come in and lick my
boots" Voices and mutterings. Nav! L don't
believe il. He never said it.
Then Mr. Shearman drew a fanciful parallel to
the Boer situation, with America in the place of
Great Britain and Canada in the place of the
mentary TO the Beers and policeman had to
sleze a man by the collar ana assist him out OF
the haH for making too much noise There were
The speaker mentioned Kriger's name, and the
Shearinan try to fnd himself heard but found 1t
II advise all those who applaud the name Of
Kruger; ne said hercely ITO go do as KRUGER said
go lick his boots.''
Beers, and then the audience decided by vote
OF about 500 to 80 that the Beers in the right