The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-08-24
WHY NOT TO KRUGER

|
sent to Emperor William of Germany
a cablegram expressing regret be-
cause of the death of the emperor's
mother. writes William ]. Bryan in
his Commoner. Referring to this good
woman, Mr.. Mckinley said: "Her
noble qualities have endeared her
memory to the American people. in
whose name and in mine l tender to
your majesty heartfelt coincidence"
1t was proper that Mr.. Mckinley
should express sympathy with the
German emperor because of his moth
ers death. But we are reminded that,
although Mrs Kruger, the wife of the
president Of the South African Re-
public, died more than thirty days
ago. the president of the United States
has not seen fit to tender his SYM
patly, or the sympathy Of the Amer
lean people, to the grief-striclen nresi-
dent of republic that is fighting for
existence
| Let us ask ourselves seriously why
this very apparent duty has been neg
lected.
1t cannot be that Mr.. Mckinley
feared to express his sympathy with
the republics president OH the ground
that 1t might he construed as an ex-
preston of preference between two
friendly powers that are now ut war.
1t happened that the queen of Eng.
land died while this war was in prog
ress and no words of eulogy were too
strong for our president to- convey
across the water by way of assuring
the English people that we sympa-
tlized with them in their great loss.
How then does 1t happen that al
though the president of small re-
public is staggering under the great
est load that can fall upon a man no
word Of sympathy has reached him
from the president of the greatest re-
public on earth?
How does it happen that although
the president of this great republican
government loses no time in express
ing sympathy with kings and emper-
ors, that he utterly ignores the oppor-
tunity to express sympathy with the
president Of republic?
1t is true that the mother of the
German emperor possessed noble
qualities" These did "endear her
memory" to the American people, ex-
actly as the memory of any good
woman is endeared to any good peo-
pie. But the wife of Paul Kruger
possessed "noble qualities" She made
sacrifices which the good mother Of
the German emperor was never called
upon to make. She showed heroic de-
votion to her husband and to her
country which the good mother Of the
German emperor never had an oppor-
tunity to display. She died prisoner
of war. held n prisoner of war by
the representatives of an empire, and
her life was sacrificed because Of her
devotion to the principles which in
the past we have been fond of calling
American principles"
And yet the president of this repub-
lie has no word Of comfort to give
to the president of the South African
Republic: he has no word of consola-
ton to offer to the stricken people of
the South African Republic; he has
no tribute to pay to the ''noble quail
ties" of one of the most heroic figures
in the history Of the world-for the
wife of Paul Kruger was an heroic
figure.
But it cannot be doubted that the
American people, regardless of politi-
cal prejudice, do entertain for Presi-
dent Kruger the most sincere sym.
pathy in the hour of his bereavement;
and they do entertain for the memory
of his beloved wife that high and en-.
dearing respect which is due from a
people who have lived and profite1
by great principle to any man or
woman who has suffered and died
because of her devotion to the same
principle.
Mr.. Mckinley missed an opportun-
ity when he permitted the time to
pass away without giving expression