The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-08-22
Conln1oner Comment.
Extracts From W. }. Bryan's Paper.
why Not to Krugere
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS;

Why Not to Kruger?
On August 9th President Mckinley
sent to Emperor William of Germany a
cablegram expressing regret because of
the death of the emperor's mother.
Referring to this good woman, Mr.. Nc
kinley said: "Her noble qualities have
endeared her memory to the American
people in whose name and in mine, l
tender to your majesty heartfelt con-
dolence."
1t was proper that Mr.. Mckinley
should express sympathy with the Ger
nan emperor because of his mothers
death. But we are reminded that, al
though Mrs. Kruger, the wife of the
President of the South African Repub-
lie, died more than thirty days ago,
the President of the United States has
not seen fit to tender his sympathy, or
the sympathy of the American people,
to the grief-stricken President of a re-
public that is fighting for existence.
Let us ask ourselves why this very
apparent duty has been neglected.
1t cannot be that Mr.. Mckinley fear
ed to express his sympathy with the
Republics President on the ground
, that it might be construed as an ex-
preston of preference between two
friendly powers that are now at war
with each other. It happened that the
was in progress and no words of eulo-
logy were too strong for our President
to convey across the water by way of
assuring the English people that we
sympathized with them in their great
loss.
How then does it happen that al
though the president of a small repub-'
lie is staggering under the greatest
load that can fall upon man, no word
Of sympathy has reached him from the
President of the greatest republic on
earth ?
How does it happen that although
the President of this great republican
government looses no time in express
ing sympathy with kings and emper-
ors, that he utterly ignores the -oppor-
!unity to express sympathy with the
president of a republic ?
1t is true that the mother of the Ger
man emperor possessed 'snoble quail
ties" These did '.endear her memory
to the American people" exactly as the
memory of any good woman is endear-
ed to any good people. But the wife
Of Paul Kruger possessed "noble quail
lies" She made sacrifices that the
good mother of the German emperor
was never called upon to make. She
nj, I, a. L.
and her country which the good moth
er of the German emperor never had
the opportunity to display. She died
prisoner of war, held prisoner of
war by the representatives of an en-
pire, and here life was sacrificed be-
cause 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 South African repub-
lie; he has no word of consolation to
offer to the stricken people of the
South African republic; he has no tri-
butte to pay to the noble qualities" 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 sympa-
thy 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 protited by
great principle to any man or woman
who has suffered and died because of
devotion to that same principle.
Mr.. Mckinley missed an opportunity
when he permitted the time to pass
away without giving expression to
American sympathy for the bereaved
President of the South African Repub-
lie.
1t is entirely proper that we have
tears and love for the stricken people
of monarchy; but should we not also
have love and tears for the stricken
people of a republic?
The steel trust will have the best of
the fight as long as it can depend on
tribute levied on the whole people
while the amalgamated steel workers
have to depend on themselves alone.
The trusts oppose tariff revision be-
cause they fear it will unsettle bust
ness, but they pay no heed to the just
demands of labor, preferring to have
the strikes unsettle business.
The tin trust replies by saying the
wage-workers may either pay more for
the dinner pail or be content with
smaller one.
protected 'sinfant'' that S strong
enough to deny the just demands of
100000 wage workers is amply able to
take care of itself without the FOSTER
ing care of special legislation.
The organs now most yociferously
pleading for harmony are the same or
gans that destroyed harmony few
years ago.
The match trust has gobbled every
thing in sight and all complaints are
met with the comforting advice to fuse
flint and steel"
If Admiral Cervera is ca lied as a wit
ness in the Schley-Sampson case he
will have to be introduced to the gen