The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-18
IN THE HOTEL CORRIDORS.

j. 7. Moran. a member OF the shipbuild-
ing firm Of Moran Brothers, Of Spokane.
Wash, is at the Raleigh. Speaking about
the contract awarded his firm for the
building OF one of the new sheathcd bat
tlezhips. Mr. Moran said. last night: las
this matter is not yet definitely settled
prefer not to say anything about it. we
have built ships for the navy before. and
II is not at all new venture with us
That battleships can he built on the Pa
cihc Coast to compare very favorably with
those built East, | think. has been suffi-
GENTLY proved by the Oregons run and
service in the Spanish war"
Regarding the published statement that
General De Wet shot three peace commits
sioners after having logged them. Gen
eral Pearson. of the Boe1:..:.,1.-. id.
the Shoreham, last night: American
newspapers as a rule are liberal and fair
minded. There are some few exceptions.
however. and it is these that condemn De
Vets action in the most unqualified terms
They don't seem to consider for a moment
that nearly all the news from South Africa
is from British censored sources. and
therefore British. and necessarily anti
Boer. | am too well acquainted with De
Wet, and the circumstances and conditions
of things in South Africa as to be misled
by such statements. These so-called Boer
peace commissioners may have been Beers
who had surrendered, and who had been
retained by Kitchener to spy on De Vets
forces. This peace commissioner business
is only sham. II General Kitchener
wanted to open peace negotiations with the
Orange Free State and Transvaal Govern
ments, which are as yet intact and exist
ing, he knew the proper procedure. The
sending OF these irresponsible persons to
make peace proposals was a trick of Kitch-
ener's to get information as to the
strength. whereabouts, and intended
movements Of the Boer forces. Should
they have returned to Kitchener's camp
without having accomplished their oIission
he would have promptly disowned them.
as he had a right to do. they not being
armed with the proper credentials TO trans
act business for the British. The people
or this country may rest assured that IL
De Wet did shoot these men he gave theni
a fair trial before the execution. De We:
is man OF honor, and brave soldier. He
would not stoop to anything that would
besmirch the fair name Of my country and
my people"
H. Ikeda. of Toxic, Japan, is at the Nor
mandie. Speaking of the attitude CT this
country toward China, Mr.. Ikeda said last
night: 1T was a great surprise to our
Government when the United States, at
the beginning of the negotiations, an
nounced that it would withdraw It's troops
from China. 1t was regarded as a grave
diplomatic mistake and to make il seem
still worse, II appeared as if America had
been drawn into this net by the neat and
designing diplomacy of the Russian rep
resentatives. Americas move strength
ened the attitude of the Empress, and
made ii more difficult to bring about a
speedy termination of settlement For
once American diplomacy, for which our
people always had the highest regard,
suffered severe setback, which has not
failed to make a lasting impression
everywhere abroad. Russia is very clever,
and no doubt highly elated over the tri-
umph achieved by her diplomats. Russia
plays winning hand at most times. She
does not care who foots the bill"
Samuel w. Campbell. of Wichita, Kan,
is registered at the Raleigh Speaking of
the recent lynehing in Leayenworth, Mr.
Campbell, who is a large real estate
owner and prominent in public life in
Kansas. said last night: The prevalent
opinion that the lynching of negroes is
proof of a condition in the general reia-
ton of the two races amounting to a
grave problem is entirely erroneous, and
is founded largely on misinformation and
A pimple On the skin
does not prove a diseased organism. and
two crimes of violence do not indicate an
unhealthy body polite. There is 10 case
Df such summary execution on record that
when fully and impartially Investigated
will disclose any substantial evidence
that 1t was caused by general and lasting
hatred or antagonism between the races. |
Lynching as punishment for any crime |
may be a degrading and demoralizing |
svil, but the practice must be cured from |
within. No amount of outside denuncia- |
ton, well-meant advice, or promiscuous |
abuse will save a single negro from the |
rope, the bullet. or the torch. There is |
every reason to believe, however, that |
With the rapid settlement of the political |
md Industrial status of the negro, which |
IS now in sight, the lynching evil will be
gradually reduced to a minimum IL not |
entirely suppressed"