Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/507

 and emotional manner and rapidity of utterance, which reminded me much of Mr. Roosevelt, and I am sure that in temperament they are quite alike. When carried along with a rapid flow of words, and with the blood flowing to his head, he occasionally lost control of the nerves of speech and stammered. He was born in the Transvaal. His people, on the side of his father, came from Denmark, and on the side of his mother, from Holland. Kruger, to whom he says he was opposed, and who, in his opinion, was a most remarkable personage, sent him with a message to Mr. Roosevelt, at that time President of the United States. He took with him a letter of introduction from Robert Roosevelt of New York, the uncle of the President. The President greeted him with:

“What can I do for you?”

“There is nothing you can do for me personally. Mr. Kruger has sent me to see whether something cannot be done to prevent the English from getting horses in America. If they cannot get horses here they cannot win in the war. Mr. McKinley issued a proclamation on neutrality; this is not being neutral. It is aiding one side in the war, and that side an empire against a democracy.”

“That question has been settled,” said the President. “It was decided by the judge in Louisiana.”

“What the judge in Louisiana decided was that he had no right to interfere and that if there was to be interference it must come from the government of the United States. It is, therefore, a matter for you.”

“It is all settled,” was the reply. “Your people ought to stop fighting. They ought to surrender.” This statement angered the general, and he said:

“I did not come here to ask your advice about military matters and I do not think you are competent to give it. General Louis Botha is the man to say whether or not the cause ought to be surrendered.”

“I shall not interfere,” said the President. Rh