The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-25
TO EXHAUST DIPLOMACY REFdRE MAX
ING POPULAR APPEAL. ),
THE POWER TOSTARTLE EUROPE
tions-This Course to Follow h Re-
fusal OF AlI Parties to the Hague Con-
ference to Comply with Their Agree
ment In His Behalf-The Prejudice
Against a Republic Keeps Germany
and Austria From Moving In His In
terest.
terest.

London. December 21.-Mr. william
T. Stead has just returned from The
Hague. where he has had a long con-
ference with Mr.. kruger and has as
certained the views OF Mr.. Kruger and
his councillors as to the present situa-
ton and future prospects. Mr.. Stead
has written the following for the AS
ISOLATED Press:
First of ali. nothing is decided about
his visit to America at present. Pres
ident Kruger has not abandoned all
hope of securing the support of the
governments Of the civilized world in
his demand for arbitration.
Until the last government refuses alb
solutely to say a word in supper of the
principles which they solemnly laid
down at The Hague conference, Mr..
Kruger will rot Dartake in popular de-
he cared to do so he could shake the
continent. The popular enthusiasm
for him is unparalleled since Garibaldi's
visit to London. but until his diplomatic
mission is exhausted an appeal to h
peoples cannot even be taken into
consideration.
Mr.. Kruger is emphatic in disclaim-
ing any desire to involve other nations
in war in behalf Of the Beers. What
he asks is that the governments which
at The Hague declared their determine
ton to use their efforts to secure ami
cable settlement of disputes by means
of mediation and arbitration should
make a united effort to bring the YER
dict of the civilized world to bear on
Great Britain.
1.-The English" Mr.. Kruger said, "are
waging this war in South Africa like
SavageS. They are burning homes, de-
stroying dams, cutting trees, devastat-
ing fields and creating famine. They
are unable to capture deWet, but they
are making prisoners of women and
children, who are not treated with or
binary decency. Hundreds of women
have been confined in a prison kraal.
near Port Elizabeth. with only one
chair. and several of them are expect
ing to become mothers"
Mr.. Kruger ayers that the provisions
of The Hague convention and the laws
n uSages of war are trampled under
foot and he wan to know whether
the Signatories of this convention ave
anything to say on the subject.
The man on horseback at this mo-
ment is not Mr.. Kruger, but President
Steyn. He. Delary and deWet are
masters of the situation, having a bet
ter disciplined and more effective force
than that which followed the Vierkleur
(fag) at the outbreak of the
They have plenty of ammunition and
replenish thei- stores continually from
the British conveys. They nave AIKEN
enough Lee Metford rifles to arm all
the burghers now in the field.
Queen Wilhelmina is kindness itself.
She has displayed pluck, in remarkable
contrast to the timidity of many Of her
official advisors.
I found the old mans spirits I'M
shaken by his reverses. He disclaimed
any desire to humiliate England and
said they only wanted their rights.
1t may interest Americans to know
that Mr.. Kruger's appeal to the civ
ilized world would be received every
where with unanimous enthusiasm were
it not for the deep-rooted distrust and
jealousy of the dynaSties of Hapsburs
and HohenZoellern against the presi-
dent of a republic. If he were a king
the courts would have zen open every
where; but the central European mon
archs dread the popular enthusiasm
excited by the heroic figure of the re-
publican president pleading for JUS
tice.
This feeling. it is we'll to note. is
not shared bv Russia. The Beers will
not listen to any proposals for a COM
promise. They are unanimous. Fail
ing in independence OF arbitration, they
will prefer to die fighting.