The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-15


s.sraI statement was given out tonighs
Iv Charles E. Macrum, former United
.s.ara= CONSUL at Pretoria.
9Th. situation in Pretoria was such
that first. as an official, ] could not re-
main there while my government at
home was apparently in the dark as
"a. the exact conditions in South At
RIGA secondly, as a man and citizen
rfrae United States. I could not remain
ir Pretoria. sacrificing my own self-re-
sge.t and that of the people Of Pre-
r.-a while the government at home
continued to leave me in the position
ola British consul and not an Amerl-
can consult I want 10 say right here
that there was not one single request
made OF me through the department %
STAT. looking 10 the care Of British IN
teresls ID Pretoria which I did not full
rH and report upon according to my
orders. ON the other hand, American
interests ina South Africa were i'm that
condition which demanded that the de-
parruent of state should be cognizant
of tlem-
81 issued the statement received from
th- state department that Americans
uu. remain neutral Tn the face OF
L.... amer cams ~ ere EDlltlllAditl ENAAAE|
rl the front and taking up arms in the
cause of the Beers, I could not help
hur know that many of these were cit
liens of the United States. L also knew
that many of them. i'm utter despair at
the attitude Of our own government,
were taking the oath of allegiance 10
the Trausvaal republic. When affairs
had reached that state that my vice
consul, Mr.. Van Ameringeu. closed up
his business, took the oath of aIegi-
auce to the republic and went to the
front, as q burEher I thought the time
had come when I should make a report
of these conditions.
Tempered With His Mail.
1T was over four weeks from the
time the war opened before 4 received a
single mail dispatch from my govern
meut or a personal letter. The mail for
the Transvaal had all been stopped at
Cape Town by order of the high com
missioner. When this mail was finally
forwarded 20 me, after Colonel Stove,
the consul general at Cape Town. had
secured its release. 1 had the humilia-
ton, as the representative OF the Amer
lean government, OF sitting lg my
Office in Pretoria and lookiuE ON envel-
UTts bearing the official seal of the
American government opened and Off
gaIly sealed with a. slieker, notifying
liz that the contents had been read by
Oh. censor at Durham.
-. looked up International law. but
failed 20 find anywhere that one mill
trE power can use its own discretion
gs CD forwarding the official dispatches
Of O. neutral government to its repre-
sentative i'm n besieEed country
The mail service from Delagoa Bay
ra Europe was continually interrupted
by The action Of British meu-of-War ac
that port. fhe service was over two
weeks longer than by the west coast
and there were continual rumors that
THAT port would be closed and Cummu-
r..8tion with the outside world entirely
gut uf. The cable service from the
Tluz.aal was absolutely cut off.
Was privately informed by the Belgian
sad German C0nsuls at Pretoria that
Their official cables in code To their gov
tmeuJs had been refused by the cen
sJr
Cablcgrams Refused.
T fled one cable in the interest Of an
American IN Pretoria. which was re-
fused absolutely by the censor at Dur
.a- This cable I sent TO the fancee Of
A.r Nelson. an American business
man ODD Pretoria. She was on her way
e. South Africa from Buffalo. y. Y,
r..u r-e war broke out. According %
letter which Mt Nelson received just
before the war commenced she was
l-E-na trasseau i'm Europe. The ca
t. requested her to come by e east
cast
NE-. 3 informed Mr.. Nelson that
.. cable had not been sent, his brother
Ion. t". oath IF allegiance to the re-
public and Went 90 the front. But these
... sim g. u nor details, The misTep-
e. NATION. which had been going on
ta OBJ. war ana after it opened
We're al sa.a o serious nature and
would require such detailed explana-
-.- -ha. .- the 9Th OF November filed
cable % the department ia code. stat
-- that T wished leave of absence in
r... tu visit the states.
set forth iu this cable that my
h.. -ouEL. had enlisted i'm the R0er
-E thar Sir. Atterbury, an Amer
--. whom F had known very favor
-.- Tor mon. than a year. could take
, OF The office until my return.
D.. reply Cd this dispatch, which was
'Gea without delay. I received
M. The department a reply advising
- .Lt my presence at Pretoria was
.lnt to public interests. On the
ND a.eEraI he'd again acknowledging
.eiIt az the cable, advising the
uelt .r the situation was not
... that Nr. Atrerbury was COM
" that ug presence in America
Vas sporJau-
Received No Reply.
IN. reply was received and I wired
- m the .fl. stating that no re-
l- ..- neeI received. and again urged
Eao.e reply No reply was re-
.'5. 10 TINS. ON the 1lth of NOvem-
again Wired the department, +
-.. that ] could not leave without
..... r'1n- thar I would forfeit my
E. he reasons which I would make
d. department did not prove salts
H.. cable was delayed by The censor
ne ma OL December. when / had
laat il had just been forward
s. .- the lNtl Ht November I again
able, stating that three of my
-' .-~ Hg-N unanswered. and stat
d. ...- q substitute would act as con-
.AE my absence and requesting
To TINS / received a reply inn
y. which was a reiteration of
y 90 my first cable.
--t.- receipt of this reply, which
.. The 10Th of November. immedi- /
- ..'le 10 the department accept
H refusal 10 grant my leave and
E- 10 taat letter that 7 would abide
~ decision of the department and
.-il 10 convey an intelligent idea /
r-- departments guidance Of the
G--'-S there IN mail dispatches. on /
nm n ol december 1 received a reply !
the department. 10 INV cabIaqrsar, Z
.-e 18th, which I mad been informed
ys-+-lls previously had just been for
1 1t read as follows: