The Washington times., 1902-03-18

tives. Yesterday being st. Patrick Day.
1t was considered opportune to bring the
issue conspicuously to the front, and two
ringing speeches in behalf of the Beers
were delivered on the floor of the House.
The speakers were Representative Fos-
ter Dem. Ill) and Representative Coch-
ran (Dem., Mo-, both of whom, during
the general debate upon the river and
harbor bill, took occasion to denounce
the Administration, and the Republican
majority in Congress for its inaction upon
the various pro- -Boer resolutions and for
alleged tacit support of the British in the
South African struggle.
Pleads Cause of Beers.
Mr.. Foster, who began the discussion.
severely criticised the Committee on For
eign Affairs for its failure to report any
of the resolutions expressing sympathy
for the struggling Beers. The dominant
party. he said looked on with apparent
unconcern. and dare not open it's mouth to
utter one word. unless it be some lame
excuse for the aggressive cruelties being
practiced by Great Britain, crucIties
which he declared were almost without
parallel in the history of civilized war
fare.
Slowly the women and children in the
concentration camps in South Africa he
contended, were being starved. In the
hope that those near and dear to them,
and now fighting in the field, would come
In and surrender. The death rate in these
camps, Mr.. Foster declared, was appaIl-
ha
English army officer to the effect that
Engiands s war was a war of exterrlina-
tion.
In the face of this the Committee on
Foreign Affairs had maintained silence
ana the Administration had given its
moral support and in some instances its
physical support of the course being pur-
sued by the British. He called attention
TO the failure of Congress to take anv ac-
tlon upon the case of Commandant
Schee2ers, and the refusal of Secretary
Hay to use the good offices of this Gov
ernment to assist DR.. and Mrs. Thomas in
distributing supplies to the women and
children in the concentration camps.
Continuing, Mr. Foster declared that
this Government had not maintained
strict neutrality. On the contrary. he as
serted that our Government had allowed
the British to establish in this country a
supply depot from which horses and
mules had been shipped to South Africa
to aid in the determination of a people
whose only crime was that they were
fighting for their liberty.
Pleased at British Defeat.
The position assumed by this Govern
ment, Mr.. Foster said. was not the posi-
tion taken by the great majority of the
American people who were avowed in
their sympathy for the Beers. The great
body of Americans receive the news of
British defeats with the exclamation that
'it serves them right"
BY tradition and instinct the American
people had always been on the side of
people fighting for independence. and how
now, he asked. could we pose before the
world as the champions of liberty. Mr. |
Foster concluded with an appeal for neu-
trality, the prohibition of the privilege |
to England of using this country as a base |
OF supplies. and for the adoption of a res |
olution pledging our moral support to the |
Beers. expressing our disapproval of the !
war, and the hope that it may soon ter |
inmate.
Later in the day Mr. Cochran took up |
the issue and spoke for an hour upon the |
subject He was particularly eloquent in |
his defence of the Beers, and especially |
He wanted an expression which would say |
to all the world that America does not |
endorse the policy OF England in South |
Africa.
Mr. Chamberlain. he declared. had |
-sateE Ftsi..L ,d there was a substan- |
..1i EliaHge 8etReen England and the |
lied S. la and hat England had the |
p-1ra th's 1oyernment in its war |
Last sLe 15.-s.
IN Ea-sl CLING Step.
aal cremation anne at an opportune
.i.lle. ne aeclared. for the purpose of ere
ating the impression. which we are doing
by sending a special embassy to witness
it, that we are in sympathy with England.
1t was but one more step. he said, to-
try with Great Britain.
1t was a new and novel thing, he said for
the American people to send representa-
tives 10 take part in the coronation of |
kings. Heretofore we have always rejoiced
when a king lost his crown He thought
our friendship for England was going too
far. All the talk about blood being thick
er than water. of the ties of kinship. Of
the same language. and England being
our best commercial customer which is |
heard at this time, he said. was done but
Tor the purpose OF conveying the impress
sion that there is an unders tanding. an
alliance between this Government and
England at time when an international
war is threatened as a result of the con-
fict in South Africa
England needs support he said and she
Is endeayoring to convince the world taat
she has the endorsement of the United
States. He did not believe that under any
circumstances would this country send
arms against the Beers but he said in
case England became involved in a
European war. the present intention is to
convey the belief that she would have the
moral. if not the actual physical support
Of the United States. At the close of the
war, Mr.. Cochran said
the statement had been heralded that
England had been our best friend through
Jgt that fight -aIt she had stood guard | {
gi--a re aHjpEc- Spain. Now the truta
ftat teeu uu >arthed that instead she
a1. g1 res % accomplish European I
-.er-, .iiU1. he had endorsed the /
a-1.uH AUSTRIA to that end. and |
r. .'n-a had ,led because Germany and
'a support it,
Course of Blood.
Taking up Englapds course in South
Africa he said it was most brutal and
ruel Such had always been her policy. {
ie pointed to her course in India and s
he Upper Nile, and then exclaimed:
When and where has this conduering
'oWeE ever shown mercy? In the lexicon
E her warfare there is no such word as
leIT~. no such word as compassion"
I