River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-05-24
WILL NOT INTERVENE
Secretary Hay States Presidents
Position to Boer Delegates.
United States Must Remain Neutral
In south AfricanWar Full
Text of Secretary of
states Reply.

Washington, May 22.-The state de-
partment has met the issue raised by
the coming to Washington of the Boer
delegation by declining to interfere
in behalf of the South African repub-
lies in the present struggle.
The three delegates called upon the
secretary of state Monday afternoon
and were at once shown INTO the dip
lomatic room just what passed be-
tween them probably will never be ex-
actly known, for when the meeting
was over, after lasting an hour, the
Beers, in departing. stated that they
had, and would have. nothing to say
as to what happened. For his part,
the secretary of state was just as I'M
communicative, but later on he gave
out the following statement:
The secretary's Statement.
"Messrs. A. Fischer. C. Fl. Vessels and
A. d. w Woolmarans. the delegates in
this country of the South African repub-
lies. called by appointment at the state
department. They were cordially received
and remained with the secretary of state
for more than an hour. They laid before
the secretary at much length and with
the controversy in South Africa and the
desire of the Boer republics that the Unit
cd States should intervene In the interest
of peace and use its influence to that end
with the British government.
THE secretary of state made the follow
ing 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 of Africa. We have remained
faithful to the precept of avoiding en-
tangling alliances as to affairs not of our
direct concern Had circumstances sug-
gested that the parties to the quarrel
would have welcomed any kindly express
sion of the hope of the American people
that war might be averted, good offices
would have been gladly rendered.
las the war went on, the president,
while regretting the suffering and the
Sacrifices endured by both of the combat
ants could do nothing but preserve
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 occa-
sion to use his good offices in the inter-
ests of peace. On the 10th of last March
we received from Mr. Hay, the United
States consul at Pretoria this telegram:
II am officially requested by the gov
ernments of the republics TO urge your
Intervention with a view to cessation OF
hostilites. Same request made to repre-
sentatives of European powers.
Note to Great Britain.
THE president at once directed me To
convey the substance of this telegram to
the British government, and in commune
eating this request | was directed by him
to express his earnest hope that a 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
result The Transvaal government was at
the same time informed of the presidents
action in the matter.
SaIisbury's Reply.
"Our representative in London promptly
communicated the presidents instruction
to Lord Salisbury. In answer he was re-
quested to thank the president for the
friendly interest shown by him, and Lord
Salisbury added that her majesty's gov
eminent could not accept the Intervention
of any power. This communication also
was Immediately transmitted to our con-
sui at Pretoria, to be communicated 10
the president of the South African repub-
lie. So far as we are informed, the Unit
ed States was the only government in the
world of all those approached by the
South African republics which rendered
its good offices TO either of the combat
ants in the interest of cessation of hos
tilities.
AS alusion had been made TO The
Hague conference, and as action had been
suggested based upon that instrument.
1t may be we'll to quote a phrase from
Article Ill, which states:
Powers stranger to the dispute may
have the right TO offer good offices or me-
diation even during the course of HOSTILE
ties and Article ", which SAYS: The
functions of the mediator are at an end
when once ii is declared either by ono of
the parties to the dispute or by the me-
diator himself. that the means of recon-
Citation proposed by him are not ac-
cepted.'
This would seem to render any further
action of the United States unadvisable
under existing circumstances The steps
taken by the president in his earnest de-
sire to see an end TO the strife which has
caused SO much suffering may already be
said to have gone 10 the extreme limit
permitted to him. Indeed, if in his dis
erection he had chosen not to present to
England the South African request for
good offices, he might have justified his
action by referring to the following dec
laration, which was made in the very act
of signing The Hague convention by the
plenipotentiaries of the United States:
% Nothing contained in this convention
shall be so construed as to require the
| United States of America to depart from
its traditional policy of not intruding up
on, interfering with or entangling itself
/ with questions Oh poIicy OF INTERNAL du-
ministration of any foreign state: nor
shall anything contained in the said con-
vention be construed to imply a relin-
quishment by the United States of Amer
lea of it's traditional attitude toward pure
ly American questions.
Must Remain Neutral.
THE president sympathizes heartily in
the sincere desire of all the people of the
United States that the war which is now
affecting South Africa may. for the sake
of both parties engaged, come to a speedy
close; but, having done his fun duty in
preserving strictly neutral position be-
tween them, and in Selling the first OPP
portunity that presented itself for tender
ing his good offices in the interests of
peace, lie feels tnat, in the present cir
cumstances. no course is open to him ex-
cept to persist in the policy of impartial
neutrality. To deviate from this would
be contrary to all our traditions and all