Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-29
MICHAEL DAVITT'S VIEWS.

The Boer war has been a failure in
more ways than one. The Beers them
selves nave failed; the democratic party
has failed to make an issue of the
failure, and the soldiers Of fortune and
others who went to the Transyaal to
acquire a reputation at home as devotees
of liberty nave failed to accomplish their
object. OF the last mentioned class is
MI. Michael Davitt. a noted eN-member
of the nationalist party in the British
parliament. He is thoroughly disguised
with the Beers. He went to Paul kru-
gers domain to help the cause of human
liberty and settle up some old scores
with his enemies at home. HIS business
was that of a correspondent. His inves-
t~igation of conditions in the Transvaal
and the character of the Transvaalers
has been anything but satisfactory.
Davitt is a bright and observing man., or
generous impulses. He expected to find
the Beers ready to welcome him with
open arms, to set a high value upon
his services and advice, and to prove
themselves a people of fine spirit, Valor-
Gus character, gratitude for proffered
aid, and quick to understand and appre-
ciate it's motive. In these expectations
Mr.. Davitt has been sadly disappointed.
He has been regarded with suspicion, not
confidence. His advice has been ignored.
His professions of hostility to the British
government have been cODperel, He is
disguised. He discovered that hundreds
of foreign patriots who went from
l., ,e and America to help fight the
British We're placed in dangerous posi-
tions during several battles and instruct
ed to stand up and fight like the Beers
themselves did. Many of the foreign SOL
diers, or, as they are called down in
South Africa, "mercenaries," are now at
Pretoria and the seaports, anxious to get
home, but in such destitute circum-
stances that they can not pay their fare,
and the Beers Will not help them, the
latter claiming that they must accept the
fortunes of war and that they should
nave Joined the British, not the Boer
army. Naturally this ingratitude to-
wards men for whom much money was
raised in their own countries to enable
them to get to Lorenzo Marques, dis
guised as Red Cross nurses, until across
the Portuguese border line, has created
general dissatisfaction among them, and
they will probably next apply to the Brit
ish government for assistance. If con-
gress We're in session there is no doubt
that Lentz or Sulzer would ask for an
appropriation to pay the fare Of those
OF the number who left this country for
South Africa. BE it said to the credit
Of Mr.. Davitt, he is thoroughly disgust
ed with the whole business, and is honest
enough to express his feelings. This he
does in plain English, according to the
following interesting special to the Lon
don Standard:
mir. Michael Davitt left Pretoria on
the 18th Of May, broken and sick at
heart according 10 The words he himself
used on the railway platform. The. Rev.
II. j. Bats, Baptist minister, has re-
corded them, and they are testified to by
the Rev. Henry w. Goodwin, Congrega-
tional minister. He told me- says Mr..
Bats, that he had that morning advised
the Transyaal government, If they would
commend themselves in the eyes of the
word ana obtain the sympathy of Euro
pean nations, chat they should at once
wire Lord Roberts to this effect:
Now that the Free State is con-
que-ed, and we are quite unable to resist
alone the might Of England, in the inter-
ests Of humanity, and to prevent further
bloodshed, we will surrender"
Instead OF dong this, said Mr.
Da"itt, they nave sent a message of d
threatening character telling Lord kob
eIts that they will blow up the mines OF
destroy Johannesburg if some terms are
not made. What the terms are they dc
not state, and they do no really mean t(
carry out the threat. Their whole actor
will cover them with ignominy and con
tempt before the civilized world. Thei
purpose is ~prolonging the business, with
out seriously meaning to fight, for thu
one object Of heaping UP the bars Of golC
they are taking from the mines and o
accommodating and boarding them il
obedience to the dictation of that oil
man Paul Kruger
That old man, Pau Kruger contin
ued Mr.. Davitt, is engaged in a sort o
spiritual seance business with some bin,
boy predicting events that are to happe.
on certain. days. l came out here at m
own expense; it has cost me 1900. I wa
full of enthusiasm for these people. The
knew me; they knew my feelings, blu
they have never trusted me. Today the
refused to give me any Information as t
the situation for my papers, and / g
away broken and sick at heart. I al
thoroughly disillusioned. For me to re
main is no longer possible; I cannot en-
dure it. They ask me: why go away S
soon? Things are not SO bad as 70
think" "What,' said ], when 5000 me