The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-05-23
u. S.
Government Will Remain
Neutral RI gSI ding BOer
War.

WASHINGTON, MAY 22.-After seeing
the Boer delegates, Secretary of State
Hay called at the white house and then
issued the following statement:
"Messrs A. Fischer c. II. Vessels and
A. d. Wolmarans, the delegates in this
country of the South African republics,
called today by appointment at the state
department. They were cordially re-
ceived and remained with the secretary
of state for more than an hour. They
laid before the secretary at much length
and with great energy and eloquence
the merits of the controversy in South
Africa and the desire of the Boer re-
publics that the United States should in
tervene in the interest of peace and use
its influence to that end with the British
government. The secretary Of state made
the following reply:
" The president, in his message to the
congress, last December, said: This
government has maintained an attitude
Of neutrality in the unfortunate contest
between Great Britain and the Boer
states in South Africa. We have re-
manned faithful to the precept of avoid
ing entangiing alliances as to affairs not
of our direct concern. Had circumstances
suggested that the parties to the quarrel
would have welcomed any kindly eX-
preston of the hope of the American
people that war migth be averted, good
offices would have been gladly rendered"
LAS the war went on the president,
while regretting the suffering and the
sacrifice endured by both the combat
ants, could do nothing but preserve a
strict neutrality between them. This he
has steadily and consistently done, but
there never has been a moment when he
would have neglected any favorable oc-
casion to use his good offices in the in
terests of peace.
ION the 10Th of lats March we received
from Mr.. Hay, the United States Consul
at Pretoria, this telegram: L am official
ly requested by the governments of the
republics to urge your Intervention with
a view to cessation of hostil.tes. Same
request made to representatives of Eu-
ropean powers"
'"The president at once Greeted me to
convey the substance OF this telegram TO
the British government and in commun-
eating this request l was directed by him
to express his earnest hope that way
to bring about peace might be found,
and to say that he would be glad to aid
in any friendly manner to promote so
| happy a result. The Transvaal govern
ment was at the same time informed of
the presidents action in the matter. our
representative in London promptly COM
municated the presidents instruction to
Lord Salisbury. In answer, he was re-
quested to thank the president for the
! friendly intent shown by him, and Lord
! Salisbury added that her majestys gov
| ernment could not accept the interven-
tion Of any power. This cOmmun' cation
was Immediately transmitted to our con-
! sui at Pretoria, to be communicated 70
! the president Of the South African re-
! public. So far as we are informed, the
! United States was the only government
! in the world, of all those approached by
/ the South African republics which ten
! dered it's good offices to either of the
combatants in the interest Of cessation
! of hostilities.
"As allusion has been made to The
Hague conference and as action had been
suggested based upon that instrument, ii
may be well to quote from article III,
which states: Powers stranger to the
dispute may have the right to offer good
offices or mediation even during the
course Of hostilites, and article V, which
says: The functions OF the mediation
are at an end when it is once declared,
either by one of the parties to the dis
pute or by the mediator himself, that the
means OF reconciliation proposed by him
are not accepted"
This would seem to render any fur
ther action of the United States unad-
visable under the existing circumstances.
The steps taken by the president in his
earnest desire TO see an end TO the strife
which has caused so much suffering may
already be said to have gone to the ex-
treme limit permitted to him Indeed, If
in his discretion, he had chosen not to
present to England the South African re-
quest for good Offices. he might have JUS
tined his action by referring to the fol-
lowing declaration which was made in
the very act OF signing The Hague con-
vention by the plenipotentiartes OF the
United States: