The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-08-24
rwaehIngton Letter.l

washington Letter.)
The Republican platform lamely ox-
cuses the refusal OF the %administra-
ton and the Republican party to x
press sympathy for the Boer republics
struggling to maintain their liberty.
by claiming that It has been the un-
broken policy Of this country not to
intervene in European controversies.
Il was the first time IN American his
tory that a republic struggling TO
maintain its liberty or any people
struggling for independence against
despotic power has failed to receive
the official assurance OF American
sympathy. But how does it compare
with the administrations interference
in China? The weak excuse Is put
forth that American troops and ships
are being sent there to protect the
lives Of American citizens and to pro-
tect American interests. But the cold
fact is that the lives Of American mis-
%sionaries have been endangered
by the attempt of foreign troops to
force their way to Pelin than by the
Boxers themselves. Practically all Of
the American missionaries took timely
warming and escaped to the coast.
Nine-tenths Of the American missions
are far remote from the points where
the troops are operating. It Is recog-
nized that it is the duty Of this gov
eminent to protect the lives OF Amer
lean citizens abroad, but there are
over two hundred claims Of American
citizens against foreign governments
for injury to person, for loss Of life
and for destruction Of property. These
claims are sleeping on the dusty
shelves Of the state department.
The fact is that this excuse Of pro-
tectinC American interests and Amer
lean lives is the veriest mask Of hy-
pocrisy. Mckinley has gone into
China to help save Great Britain's
waning prestige. Outside Of her laval
forces, Great Britain hasn't a regiment
of white troops in China.
Her forces are practically all troops
from India, and even these are limited
owing to the imminent danger Of a
tremendous racial revolution against
British rule in that unhappy plague
and famine-stricken country. Every
paper in Europe points out hat the
American forces in China are acting
under. orders from London rather than
from Washington. The force that was
intrusted to the leadership OF Admiral
Seymour to go to the relief Cf the
legations at Pekin met the usual fate
Of British ~generalship, and blundered
into an ambuscade Of Boxers. 1t was
finally forced to retreat ON Tein-Tsin.
AS it was, the foresight Of the Amer
lean commander, Capt. McCalla, saved
the whole brigade from humiliation,
He insisted on taking two weeks sup
plies for his forces, while the rest
had but five days provisions. These
supplies were all that enabled the
troops to withstand the fifteen days Of
marching and lighting 60 which they
we're subjected.
It is apparent that every effort Il
being made, especially BY Great BRIT
ain, to keep the actual facts from the
public, and to furnish garbled. dis
torted and colored reports. The cables
are all under British control. and the
same game is being played over the
Chinese situation that has been
played for the last twelve months in
South Africa.
All the vicerOys OF China have unit
ed with the imperial government In
pointing out the danger Of this foreign
Invasion, yet the protest IS treated
with contempt, and Secretary Hay out
Herods the English by storming al
Minister, WI the most intelligent and
cultivated Chinaman ever accredited
to the United States. and has threat
ened to send him his passports.
There are Chinese ministers al
every European court, but no Euro
pean power has made such a threat
to them. Why all this trucnlence7 Ii
is necessary to save McKinley's face,
and to play politics by distracting pub
&c attention from the troubles in the
Philippines, in Cuba, in Porto Rico
and at home.