The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
Thinks the sympathy Of the American
People should Go Out to the
Struggling Afrikanders.
WHO TELLS ABOUT THE PATRIOTISM
OF sTEYN AND KRUGER.
Envoy Fischer at Milwaukee, Where
He Was Given n Reception by
GermansA Last Night

OMAHA, Neb, June 9.-Envoy c. HI.
Vessels, of the Orange Free State, was
given a big official reception by Omaha
to-day. 1t was marked as being of wholly
nonpartisan character. Governor Poynter.
Populist, presided over the mass meeting;
Mayor Moores. Republican, welcomed the
envoy for the city; Capt. III. E. Palma,
chairman of the Republican state commit
tee, was secretary of the meeting. and read
a number Of communications; I. j. Ma
honey. Cleveland gold Democrat. made
a stirring speech, and William ]. Bryan
was present and on call from the audi
ence expressed his sympathy for the strug-
Cling republics.
After brief reception at the City Hall.
where Mayor Moore warmly welcomed the
Boer envoy to the city. Mr.. Vessels was
driven to the Creighton Theater, where
crowd Of several thousand greeted him.
"You do not hear the truth about us. -
said Mr.. Vessels England has all of
the cables, and thus holds the ear of the
woSld. You know. the history of the Beers.
for the Americans / find have read more
than any other people on earth. You know
how Kruger went to Europe twice and
begged and entreated for liberty; you have
read how Steyn has studied about the free
nations Of the world; he knows all about
the American government, and when the
English people say that we were tie ag-
gressors and threatened to drive the Eng
llsh people into the sea, do you think that
those two men would think for momeny
that they could do such thing? Why,
there are only $4,000 people in both of our
republics. from the smallest infant to the
men bigger than / am"
Calls were heard for Mr.. Bryan and
ne finally responded in an impassioned ad-
dress, speaking in part as follows:
"I came as citizen, an American citi-
zen, to be present with other American citi-
zens to meet the representatives of the
Boer republics; to join with you in ex-
pressing to them our sympathy for their
cause, and as earnestly believe the SYM
pathy of a great majority of the Ameri-
can people. trust that the day will never
come when nation fighting for liberty
will look in vain to the American people
for sympathy and aid.
"It Is to our honor that the Beers have
come to us to receive our sympathy. IT
is hard to understand the feelings of the
man who has sympathy for the Boer cause,
sons. / do not see how one can do other
than choose the cause Of the two republics
In preference to that of monarchy; an
American citizen who has lived under and
learned to love and venerate our forms OF
government.
There comes a time when the millions
Of American people have that privilege of
rising and casting their ballots against that
administration of government which fails
to carry out their wishes and when those
ballots are next counted believe they will
be an expression of the American people
for these people fighting for their inde-
pendence.
"It Is said that the blood Of the martyr
is the seed of the church. If 1T is found
that these republics shall be overcome they
will not have fought in vain. Sometimes
the men who die, die more for liberty
than they who live, and ere the struggle
is over believe that the Beers will arise
from a hundred fields and liberty will be
victorious.
There are men among us who say that
because England sympathized with US dur
ing the Spanish-American war we ought
to say nothing against such friendly ma.
tion. / deny that such sympathy binds
us to act for England. We did not need
the sympathy Of England during the Span
of no nation on earth. We have received
nothing that obligates us to remain pas
sive and helpless while liberty is being
crushed. We should not be unmindful OF
our duties to the people of this world
struggling for their liberty-we the great
est nation on earth, founded on liberty
We must keep inspired with that love
and reverence for the blessed name of lib.
crty till every American citizen goes down
on his knees and asks the God of battle
to bring victory to the Beers"