The Irish standard., 1901-04-13

was general at the war department
that citizens of the United States may
sell horses, mules and supplies to
Great Britain without subjecting the
United States to a charge of violating
the neutrality laws, and that the New
Orleans Judge would decide accord
ingly.
The British war office cablcd to it's
agent at New Orleans last week and
told him to buy no more mules and
horses for South Africa, for the reason
that the government had Il sutticiency
of them at present The first of May
was set for closing up business in the
American port.
When Mr.. Van Ness heard of this he
said: "Nly view of the matter is that
the mules and horses will be shipped
to South Africa from New Orleans as
long as the shippers or ship owners
are not molested by the United States
government nor by the COURTS" When
| told that 10000 head had already been
landed in South Africa, he replied:
".'resh mules and horses are required
in South Africa so long us the British
have their forces there. There is
scarcely an animal that was shipped
to the Transvaal year ago that is
alive today. Neither a horse nor a
mule can subsist for any great time
on oats alone, and that is all these ami
mails get when they are taken away
from the base of supplies"
The Anglomaniacs at the head of af-
fairs at Washington have done every
thing possible to aid the "mother
country in its atrocities in the South
African republics. Whether or not
Judge Parlange, an appointee of the
administration, will be Influenced in
his action we do not know, but his de-
cison in the injunction proceedings is
awaited with considerable interest.
The war department has given it
out that the Beers could have bought
horses and mules just as we'll as the
English, but it knows the Beers do
not want them, and if they did they
would be seized by the British before
reaching their destination. The price
of horses and mules has increased ow-
ing to the demand for them by the
British government, and railroad and
shipping companies are benetiting
from the sales. So long as profit ac-
crues to Americans from the sale and
transportation of the animals, who
cares for the Beers? 1t is estimated
that the British government has ex-
pended $25OOO.OOO for American mules
and horses and their provender since
the beginning Of the Anglo-Boer war.
We are not lawyer enough to know
whether or not the Washington au-
thorities are justified in permitting
England to take her war supplies from
American ports to be used against ma
tons at peace with the United States.
We know that England is not getting
her supplies from any European coun-
try for shipment to South Africa, and
we are inclined to think that if war
were going on between England and
France or any other first-rate power,
the United States would observe
stricter neutrality.
When the case came up on Tuesday
before the federal judge General Pear
son said he had come to America. to
ask the courts to protect himself and
fellow-burghers, their lives and prop
erty from the ravages of the British.
He said the mules and horses used by
them were brought from New Orleans
to carry on the work of devastation.
After briefs were submitted the judge
took the case under advisement and
may pass on the matter before we go
to press.