Evening journal., 1901-12-10
COCHRAN AND THE BoEHs

OONHlNAN AND Iitk BObitS
The Hon w. Bourke Cochran has
been entertaining Chicago audience
on the Boer war question. In the midst
of his remarks he gives uttaAnce to
the following:
Providerccs has so oPdered events
mat the President of The United States
can compose this bitter quarrel. IL is
an extraordinary opportunity offered
TO an extraordinary mann IL would not
be necessary TO draw the sword, to
make any threat OF armed intervention.
or to take am unfrlendly attitude One
word spoken TO the English Ambassa-
dor, or in the hearing Of the English
nation. would restore peace, ostabash
justice, secure liberty To these burgh-
ers. promote enormously the prospeiilty
of the human race. and bring immeas-
urable glory 30 the American nation.
VIII that word be spoken? Never I'm
history have such momentous re-
suits hung on the dps Of a human be-
ing. VIII Theodore Roosevelt improve
this opportunity for himself. his coun-
try, and the whole human race?
We should judge from our knowledge
Of the speakers opportunities lor in
formation that he knows better than
The above quotation seems 20 Indicate.
President Mckinley proffered the good
offices OF this Government in settling
the dispute, and II may be reasonably
assumed that our offer is yet open
The English Government declined our
assistance OF interference, and there is
only one ether step we could take
interfere between tue ebelligercntpowers
Are we ready to do that2 Suppose Eng
land should assume the attitude uf
censor TO the United States. and should
say that we must Withdraw from the
philippines. how would we regard her
interference? Yet the cases are paral-
lei.
To declare that the President by
speaking a word TO the English Am
bassador could establish peace, is to
assume n condition which would be,
indeed, remarkable. The American ma
tion usually regards itself capable Of
conducting Ms own affairs. and we do
not know OF any ruler or potentate
who can call our. Ambassador aside,
whisper a word in his ear. and change
the whole course OF our history. When.
we went to war With Spain we did not
ask permission. and, too, when other
nations talked Of interference, Eng
lanh warned them to keep hands off,
We have not reached the point when
we can become the monitor for the
whole world.
There are many ill-advised peSsons.
advocates Of peace, who wuu,d have THE
President say 10 Great Britain: you
must withdraw your troops from South
Africa, and grant the Beers full indie
pendence" Ihat would sound we'll.
But anyone acquainted with The Eng
lish character, whidh is pretty much
the same as our own knows what the
reply OF England would be. She would
tell us that we were impertinent anil
request us to manase our own affairs
Then what would we do? Either pocket
the insult, or go to war to enforce ou1
demand
There is nothing TO prevent the
American citisen from taking a pro
found interest in the South African
struggle. and he is entitled 10 bestow
his sympathy wherever he chooses, but
TO ask This country TO embroil itself
with England. in order 10 give peace
10 the Beers. is a request that will not
be granted. A knOS-ledge OF the situ-
alton suggests that white these people
have grievance that cries FOR redress,
vet they have not been altogether
blameless. In a desire for peace we
cannot afford TO infringe on the rights
Of other great nations