The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-05-26
THE B0ER REPRESENTATIVES
Their Reception by Our Government
May Do Much Toward Termt-
mating the War.

further communication with the Boer
delegation. Such interchange as has
occurred was purely unofficial. it is
stated. If the Boer delegates had any
credentials of IN official status they
failed to present or even offer them
in the course of their talks with the
officials. The only sign of the posses
sion by them of diplomatic powers
was the inscription of cards presented
by them, indicating that each one of
the delegates had been tent out as a
minister plenipotentiary by the Boer
republics.
Future Plans of the Delegates.
1t is surmised hat if they have ere
dentials comforting diplomatic powers
upon them the delegates have purpose
ly refrained from presenting them, in
order to avoid a dislocation of their
plans for the future. Having had rea-
son to anticipate the de%clination of
the United States government to inter-
vene in behalf of their republics and
having thus failed in the primary OBJ
ject of their mission to the United
States, it is surmised that the dele
gates refrained from endeavoring to
establish a diplomatic character in or
der to reduce the liability to inter
Iuption in the propaganda they ar.
about to conduct in the country at
large. =
Government viii Not Interfere.
Although the United States govern
ment, beyond doubt, has the power to
stop this propaganda at any point, and
dismiss the delegates from the United
States. it can be stated that there is
no likelihood of any such action be-
ing taken SO long as the agitation is
conducted by private individuals.
The Case of Genet.
But, it is said at the state depart
ment, the precedent established in the
case of Genet, the agent sent to this
country by French revolutionists,
would require the government per-
emPtorially to stop the prosecution by
fully accredited diplomatic agents of
a belligerent nation, of efforts to aid
their cause within the United States,
through public demonstrations.
made u Deep Impression.
1t is evident that the delegates made
a deep impression upon the officials of
our government with whom they came
in contact, and, it is said, that it was
only the plain demands of neutrality,
as laid down in Secretary Hays re-
Spouse to the Boer representations
hat prevented the return of an an
swer that would have been much more
satisfactory to them.
Cherished Hop to the Last.
The delegates were disappointed at
the response made by Secretary Hay,
indicating hat up to the last mo-
ment they had cherished a hope that
the United States government would
be favorably moved. Now that the
answer is returned, it is expected that
the delegates will go at once about the
second branch of their business, and
begin a series of mass-meetings and
public demonstrations in the principal
cities of the United States with a view
TO affecting public sentiment and. per-
haps, Indirectly influencing the terms
of the peace which will conclude the
present a
Everything for Independence.
1t is gathered that the Beers art
ready, at the last extremity. to sacri-
flee everything for which they have
heretofore ~contended; to let in tho
uitlanders to equal privileges with ma
tive Beers in the Transvaal and Free
State: to abandon the much-talged-of
dynamite monopoly, and. in fact, to
make any concession, if the victorious
British will but allow them independ-
They hope that the American
people will bring such moral pressure
to bear upon the English hat this OBJ
ject car be attained.
Will Do Much to End the War.
Meanwhile it is the opinion in Of
fetal circles that the prompt action of
the state department in dismissing the
Beers application for Intervention has
indirectly gone far toward bringing
about a speedy termination of the
African war. 1t is assumed that
the delegates here will find some
means to communicate the u~nfavorable
reception of their appeal to Pretoria.
In fact. it is intimated that the con-
British censors would not
stop any such message from passage
the cables TO Lorenzo Marquee,
it might easily be forwarded
TO Pretoria.
The Peace Conference.
The state department has not yet
addressed by any of the powers
signatory TO The Hague convention
IL government to join with
The % powers party to the peace o N
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
Ire in n position to act thus. no mat
er how inclined, because, so far as the
department has been informed,
rot mere than half a dozen in all, in
'luding the United States, have yet
-iven in their formal adherence to the
,eace convention.