The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-08-13
DAVlTT ON THE B0ERS.
Famous Irish Patriot Calls Them
Bravest Of the Brave.
SAYS BRITAIEs MIGHT IS PUSY.

Mere Memory. lie Declares - Her
Only Motive For the south African
War. lie says, Was 20 steal the
Rand Mines.
Michael Davitt. who has spent more
than half the years Of his life in the
cause of free ireland. arrived in New
York recently on the steamship St.
Paul Of the American line from South
smpton.
The object Of his visit Is purely a
personal one He has engagements,
however 10 make speeches In Chicago
and other principal cities IN the United
States before he returns
"You have asked me to say some
thing IN reply to the cabled reports Of
the speech made by Mr.. Chamberlain
ia the house Of commons with regard
20 tine war Ia South Africa" he said to
a reporter Of the New York Journal. Il
hardly believe be made the assertions
credited 20 him and should prefer 10
withhold my criticism until more au-
theutic confirmation can be secured. II
be did make the criminal statements
credited 10 him. should say be had
temporarily lost bis senses.
England all during the Boer war
has been engaging and arming The ma
tiycs, while the Beers have never en-.
pl0ycd any Kanirs. This know 10 be
absolutely true. for ! was all through
South Africa last year and carefully
looked over She situation.
During the attack on Mafeking the
British used Katfrs Oh the advance.
forming two parties. who made sort.es
Oh the Boer position under the direc-
tion Of General Baden-PoweI. War Is
WAR. and the Beers would DE very fool
ish II they DO not shoot these natives
whom they find they are arrayed
against them. How do they differ in
this respect from British troopsf
"NOw ID is proposed to make the Beers
suffer the death penalty 81 found guilty
OF killing natives. Suppose the Beers
had killed their prisoners at the outset,
what would have been the conse-
qucucc; They had more than 10000 at
one time. At the beginning Of the war
IL was agreed that no natives should
be engaged in the conflict. The Beers
have religiorsiy kept their part Of that
agreement, but the English have not
There can be no doubt about that
Il have been all around the world. and
] have never met a finer or brayer lot
Of people than the Beers. They will
fight as long as their ammunition holds
out. and will not give up until their
last cartridge has been fired. They
don't expect to receive any financial
aid from America, nor any help in the
way Of recruits. So far they have had
only about 1000 outsiders, all told, to
assist them, and these were mostly the
miners engaged in the mines at Johan-
nesburg. They formed little lsagers
| and called themselves the American,
Irish. Italian or French brigade, ac-
cording TO their composition.
"At no tins have the Beers had more
than $1,000 men in the field, and during
the past few months this number has
| been reduced TO about one-third that
number. The population Of the Trans
yaal and Orange Free State, including
women and children, is only about
! 100000, and have seen boys less than
| IA years old carrying arms. The Eng
/ lish have had about 100000 troops in
| South Africa, which can be seen is
| 10000 more than the whole Boer popu.
/ lation. Had the Beers had 10000 more
men at one time l believe they could
have been victorious.
''It is an unjust war-a giant against
a dwarf-and l am proud TO say our
sympathies are with the Beers and
} against England. whose enmity We
will. for the time being, incur. The
Beers must meet inevitable defeat but
my information Is 10 the effect that
they will be able TO carry on the wal
FOR at least a twelvemonth longer.
Il cannot speak officially, but do not
believe Mr.. Kruger will pay visit &c
the United States. He is a fine old
gentleman. aud the fight he and his
people are making for justice and lib
erty is quite the same as the one IN
| which we are engaged.
What was England's primal lnten
tlon in this war; To steal the ranC
] Al4AtH- NbMt WHIT nus Auls NIlAlAAd
purpose cost so fary Between 5000,
600 and SlOOOO,OOO a week. and up L
the present time taxation indebted
ness OF Sl,0OO.OOO,OOO has been incur
red. The government consols have de
preciated since the inception Of hostil
tiles from Sll7 10 S92. and over $500,
0OO0O0 OF these are held In England
Other securities have deprecated II
sympathy. but not TO as large an ex
tent.
Besides this, there has been a genera
commercial loss 10 England consequen
10 her ships being employed 10 trans
port troops, and this falling off in car
rylng trade will not 60 back. Some o
II has been secured by American ship
ping concerns and other foreign for
warders, who will continue TO retain
this business. This OF itself is a BIZ
loss 10 sustain.
"But the worst OF all 10 England Is he