The Portland daily press., 1900-05-23
mo MORE FROM BOERS.
State Dept. Through
With Them.
ENJOYS Made a Decidedly Strong
Impression.
Govt Would Have Been
Glad to Aid Them.
VIII Now Attempt to Arouse
Public Sentiment.

Washington, May 22.-The State De
partment does not expect to have any
| further communication with the BoeI
delegates now in this city. Such inter
change as occurred was unofficial, IL Il
stated. If the Boer delegates had any
credentials giving them an official status,
they failed to present them or even not
refer to them in the course of their talks
with the officials. Having had reason to
anticipate the declination of the United
States government TO intervene In behalf
Of their republics and having thus failed
in the primary object OF their mission to
the United States, 1t is surnlsed that the
delegates refrained from endeavoring to
establish diplomatic character in order
to reduce the liability to interruption in
the propaganda they are about to con
duct in the country at large. Although
the United States government has, be-
yond doubt, the power to stop this pro-
paganda at any point and dismiss the del
egates from the United States, yet it can
be stated that there is no likelihood of
any such action being taken so long as
the agitation Is conducted by private in
dividuals.
1t is evident that the delegates made a
deep impression upon the officials Of our
government with whom they came in
contac yesterday and 1t is said that IL
was only the plain demands Of neutrality
as laid down in Secretary Hays response
to the Boer representations that prevented
the return of an answer that would have
been much more satisfactory to them.
The delegates were disappointed at the
response made by Secretary Hay indicat-
ing that up to the last moment they had
cherished hope that the United States
government would be favorably moved.
Now, however, that the answer is re
turned, it is expected that the delegates
will go at once about the second branch
OF their business and begin series OF
mass meetings and public demonstrations
In the principal cities OF the United
States with view to affecting public
sentiment and perhaps indirectly infu-
encing the terms of the peace which will
conclude the present war. 1t is gathered
that the Beers are ready at the last ex-
tremity TO sacrifice anything for which
they have heretofore contended; to let in
the Uitlanders to equal privileges with
native Beers in the Transvaal and Free
State; to abandon the much talked OF
dynamite monopoly and in fact to make
any concession If the victorious British
will but allow them independence and
they hope that the American people will
bring such moral pressure to bear upon
the English that this object can be at
tanned. The State Department has not
been yet addressed by any of the powers,
signatory to The Hague convention ask
ing our government to join with the
twenty-five powers party to the peace
conference, in an effort to bring about
peace between the British and the Beers
1t is doubted here whether more than a
very few of the powers are in position
to act thus, no matter how inclined, be-
cause so far as the State Department has
been informed, not more than hall
dozen in all, including the United States
have yet given in their formal adherence
to the peace convention.