The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-03-29
Went 10 Visit His Friend, Consul General
James G. Stowe, al Cape Town.
SAW PRESIDENT OF BOER REPUBLIC
But Had No lnisreW With Him - When Re Left
Washington hs Had N, In enilon OF Visiting
Trsnsas or Orange Tree SIaIs.

New York. March 29.-Webster Da-
Wis, assistant secretary of the interior.
who went to South Africa last Decem-
Der and visited first the English colo
nies and later the Transvaal. arrived
on the steamer Aller from Genoa Tues
day night
The precise object OF Mr.. Davis visit
10 Dom Paul is a mystery. 1t was stat
ed when he went away that he desired
TO obtain i'm South Africa material for
course of lectures for educational
purposes.
MIR. Davis repeated his previous de-
mails that his visit to the Boer Repub-
BIC was Of an official nature He met
President KRUGER at Pretoria and was
greatly impressed by the strength of
character OF the chief executive OF the
Boer Republic Mr.. Davis believes that
the Beers will be able 10 continue their
struggle against the British for con-
siderable tine He had an opportunity
of personally seeing the BOer troops In
action, and he spoke highly OF their sol
dierly qualities and courage. Mr.. DAVIS
said he was well treated by the Beers
every possible courtesy being shown
him
When Mr.. Dayis went abroad IL was
said that he was on a special mission
for the United States government. This
he hastened 90 deny. notwithstanding
his retlcence on other matters. News
paper clippings I'm which he was freely
quoted were shown him. one OF these
abstracts had this TO say:
Mr.. Davis said that he had been
especially struck by the neglect by the
English In regard 10 the burial OF their
dead. They hardly he declared, dig
any graves at alb are hiding corpses
under a few shovelsful of earth. froll
which are constantly seen emerging a
foot. hand or head. When the heat on
rain comes, corpses offer an atrocious
picture
A FLAT DENIAL.
Another interview. so-called. cabled
from Naples. made Mr. Davis say re-
garding the improbability of interven-
tion:
Now that they have been dlsillusion-
ed from the state of mind in which the
Beers were at the moment OF my de-
parture, and from what has happened
since. / believe tnat their resistance
will not be persisted in much longer"
"That | did not say those things,
remarked MIR. Davis, when he read the
extracts is unnecessary 90 state; AN
necessary because / would not discuss
"A matter OF that kind From the time
that / left Pretoria until the present
time / have i'm no way given my views
10 newspaper men. | saw great many
things in South Africa. both on the
fghting line and in the camps. but
have reserved what l have seen for Il
future time. when il viii be made pub
lie"
Mr. Davis added This is how I hap
pened to go 10 South Africa: James g.
stowe. the L. s. Consul General at Cape
Town. is a lifelong friend OF mine. IL
fact il was at my request that he re-
ceived the appointment. The Ohio "a n
paign was SO severe on me that | de-
cided to ask for a rest. and remember
ing an old promise made 20 Mr.Stow".
/ asked the secretary OF the interior to
grant me a vacation. saying that /
wished TO spend II with my old fliend
in Cape Town. My application for va
cation. with the privilege of a trip
abroad. was favorably acted upon by
the president. left here on Dec. g. and
started back from Lorenzo Marques on
Feb IA. There was no secrecy about my
trip"
A PRIVATE CAR ONLY.
"But did you not have a pdvate ira n