The Tucson citizen., 1902-03-14
ROOSEVELT AND The BOERS.

The Los Angeles Times being in
ahroric state of insurrectiOn against
the constituted authorities OF the he-
publican party in California, aims to
eouere itself as a party organ by abJect
servility to the national admlnistra-
ton. The Times is one OF the very
few newspapers in the country that
gives an unqualified support to the ad-
ministrations policy as an ally OF
Great Britain in the work of destroy
ing the South African republics, and
enthusiastically approves President
Roosevelts reply to the Boer delegates
at the recent White House conference.
Our Los Angeles contemporary says
that the Boer delegates will have to
he satisfied" with the explanation OF
Pres. dent Roosevelt. This is true. They
cannot help themselves. But the
American people are not in the same
helpless position, and they are not
very apt to be deluded by any such
pretense as the President makes con-
cerning the attitude of his administra-
tion toward the struggling people of
the Boer republics. The dispatches
state the Presidents first point thus:
He pointed out conciusively the lack
OF authority on the part of the gen
n fhn A ATnqri-
can farmer from shipping his proyi-
sions and the stock-raiser from sell
ing MS produce anywhere in the world
where they could get the best price.
That is a manifest absurdity, for
everybody knows that this country, as
every other country, has the full pow
er and right to prohibit the sale and
shipment of goods contraband OF war,
and that it is the recognized duty of a
neutral power to do SO. If a precedent
is desired we need only to go back to
the Spanish war. when Great Britain
promptly issued her proclamation
warning British subjects to observe
neutrality and to supply no munitions
Of war to either combatant Mr.. Roose
yelt's second point is thus reported:
He also pointed out that the govern
ment S attitude in this, as in other
matters connected with the South
African war. had been strictly neutral
This is not true. This country has
not made any proclamation of neu-
trallty, as is customarily done by neu-
trail countries. and has carefully re-
trained from any recognition whatever
of the Boer republics. Furthermore,
when there was some talk Of European
aid 10 the Beers. American ships were
ordered to South Africa, and the fact
was paraded as manifestation of
friendship to Great Britain and
warning Of hands off" to other pow
ers. I 4e Presidents third point was
this:
Our government had done nothing
to prevent shipments of commodities
to the Boer forces.
Not directly, because Great Britain's
naval power made it unnecessary. But
our government did fail to protect
American shippers In their rights
When American grain was shipped to
Lorenzo Marquee. neutral port, to
which we had absolute right of ship
ment as neutrals it was seized by
British ships, and our government
basely submitted to this interference
with our lawful traffic.
1t is useless to try to conceal the
sycophancy of the Mckinley admin
etration TO Great Britain, or its culmi-
nation under the present administra-
ton in the refusal to ask for pass
ports for Americans to carry aid to
the victims Of the concentration camps.
II has been too open for concealment
and too fragrant for pardon. We have
been made in part responsible for the
atrocities of British greed, and the ac-
uon of our authorities is not at all
improved by any hypocritical pretense
OF neutrality.
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