Washington sentinel., 1900-02-17
Boers to send out an oficiaI appeal

ever, will presently show that the
| Administration has refused to re-
ceiVe the representative OF the
Boer Governments, who were
charged with the mission OF ap-
pealing for mediation. General
| IO'Beirne was rejected on the
ground that an American citizen
is not eligible to act for foreign
State. Montagu White, who has
not been able to communicate with
his Government for months, was
only received in audience by Sec
retarV Hay after he assured the
Administrative cL.At he had no cre-
dentials accrediting him TO this
country. Persons u1i-ofhcially
representing the interests Of the
republics here for many years, who
have been trying to gain the ear
OF the Administration in the inter-
est ofpeace, have been notified that
their visit would be unwelcome.
AT the outbreak OF hostilities both
South African republics appealed
to this country for arbitration, but
their efforts were rejected, and the
world at large has been made to
believe that nothing has been done.
Five important measures are
now pending in Congress.
William Alden Smith, of Michi-
gan, frightened by the threats Of
his German constituents, has in
tTodmced in the House a resolution
authorizing the appointment Of an
American Minister to the repub-
lies. II is safe TO say this will be
smothered in committee at the be-
hest Of the Administration, for it
would accord official recognition
to the republics and enable them
to deal Independently with us.
Senator'S Allen and Mason and
Congressman Sulzer also have
each a Boer resolution which has
been sidetracked.
The other is measure intro
duced by Senator Penrose. direct
ing the despatch of American war
ships to DelaPoa Bay for the pro-
lection OF American interests.
This, too. will be sent to slumber
among the dusty archives of for
gotten things in the committee
rooms, for il would IN a measure
exert a moral influence whose ex-
tent cannot be underestimated by
the friends and sympathIzers of the
struggling republics.
We may look in vain to the
events OF former times for a dis
grace parallel to what we are now
suffering at the hands of this Ad-
ministration. In no time in the
hour OF our country's sharpest dis
tresS, have we until now exhibited
ourselves to the world as a cow
ardly, ,pitiiul, degraded people, hob
nobbing with an empire and car
rying out its instructions. This is
the position in which our Execu-
tive has placed us. And that is
why we are regarded by all other
sister republics as the friend OF inn
perialistIc England and the enemy
of the Transvaal Republic.
In former days every citizen Of
this country Irrespective of party
affiliation) would have made the
Welkin ring; now, governmentallv
speaking, we are silent. Why9
Because, as Hon. Champ Clark
says, England is a robber nation;
Mckinley is ambitious tor US to
become robber nation; and all
robber nations must stand together
for self-preservation." That is the
position OF official America From
its sordid and inhuman verdict we
appeal to the unofficial masses, the
common people, in whose true and
tender hearts the sweet song OF
human freedom is forever singing.
For making such an appeal the
Editor OF the SENTINEL has been
repeatedly criticized and also ac-
cused Of speaking disrespectfully
OF the President. In reply we wish
to say, that in times like these it is
the duty Of every liberty loving
American editor OF an independent
paper to express himself iorcibly
without disguise or reservation,
and show up the true existing cir
cumstances. We think that this
is a time when the administrator
Of the Government ought to be in
the ablest and 6ttest hands. We do
not think the hands in which it is
now placed answer to that descrip-
tion-and tor these reasons we in.
tend to keep up this fight until the
people shall rise in their might and
defeat the present imperialistic
Executive by such an over
whelming vote that he and his