The herald., 1896-05-06
And Has Clearly Outfenced Sec
retary Chamberlain
THE VOLKSRAAD is OPENED
To Consider the Interests of South Afri-
cas- Republic
Boer Sympathy Is Expected to Result in the
litigation OF John Hays Ham.
monds Sentence
Associated Press special Wire.


mlsslon).-The volksraad parliament of
the Transvaal was opened today by Pres
1dent Kruger. Great and unusual inter-
est was taken in the proceedings in view
OF the recent disclosures made by the
! publication of the cipher kilograms ex-
changed between Cecil Rhodes, then
premier of Cape Colony and others who
took more or less important part in the
Jameson raid in the territory of the Boer
/ republic.
The town was crowded with Beers
many of whom had ridden hundreds of
miles in order to be present here when
the volksraad reassembled, as its pres
ent session is looked upon as being one
OF the most important in the history Of
the little republic. Numbers Of these
, sturdy, fighting farmers came here days
ago in order to bring their influence to
bear upon members of the executive
council in the hope of bringing about the
mitigation If not tho entire comnluta-
I ton OF the sentences Of the convicted
leaders of the Johannesburg reform com
| mittee. But it is useless to deny that the
| publication of the series Of incriminat-
| ing teleGrans has put decided damper
! upon the efforts of the Beers to lessen
the punishment of the prisoners, but it
Is said that much may depend upon the
action or the British government to-
ward Cecil Rhodes, Alfred Belt, the di-
rector of the British South Africa com
pany' VINO took an important part in or
ganlzlng the raid, and toward the COM
| pany itself, to say nothing of the punish
ment which may be meted out to DR..
Jameson and his immediate associates
John Hays Hammond, the convicted
american engineer. will, however, be
more leniently dealt with than his fellow
| prisoners, in view of the fact tina f he wa c
opposed to actual rebellion against the
| Iransvaal authorities
Inc vicinity of the parliamentary
pui!ulng was crowded with a picturesque
gathering of Beers long before the hour
set tor opening of it's proceedings. and
warm indeed were the concentrations
ShoWered upon the diplomacy of "Oom
Paul. who has so cleyerIy ouffenced tho
brltlsh secretary of state for the colo
mes, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. from first
10 last and who is now so comnleteiv
master OF the situation that he towers
heao ana shoulders over everybody and
ny 'ilins connected with South Africa.
The president in his speech said ~
prlet that the recent events due tn
malevoience and selfish objects" had se-
ieusiy interrupted the right and peace
OF me south African republic, adding:
AS II mas been ever my wish to pro-
Hlote the development and prosperitv
of the republic in the most peacea hIs
manner possible, so I am firmly con
Vlnced that 1t is your sincere wish 70
cooperate with me in this policy and
Ipat you expect with the fullest conf
ueMce :n tnat this session of the volksraad
VIII contribute in no small manner to
the restoration of peace in this state. in
oroer that, through our united co-oper-
atlon, our country may flourish and pros
per for the benefit of ALL" cloud ap-
The president then touched on the for
eign relations of the South African re-
pubic. the most delicate and eagerly
anticipated portion of the speech. saw
| ing soy
In spite of past troubles, the republic
continues to maintain friendly relations
This subject was there significan ntlv
! dropped and the president turned to the
relations between the South African
| republic and it's sister republic. the Or
ange Free state, remarking:
nope that meeting OF the repre-
sentatives Of the Orange Free State and
representatives of the South African
republic will shortly be held and plans
| for closer union between the two coun-
tries will be discussed" (Applause)
This utterance of President Kruger
was looked upon as confirming the re-
/ port that negotiations have for some
| time past been on foot for an alliance. Of
! fensive and defensive, between the South
! African republic and the Orange Free
! state, looking to resisting any attempt
/ upon the part of Great Britain to inter-
/ ItIS WIFI tnts internal dnalrS or either
country.
The president afterw:rd alluded in
! an appropriate manner to the terrible
| dynamite disaster just outside Johan-
nesburs, February 18th. when about 1870
| persons were killed and thousands rem
! dered homeless. In this connection the
| president acknowledged the assistance
rendered by the Uitlanders of the Rand
| tc the Boer authorities, the foreigners
! having tenderly cared for the wounded
and collected about $500,000 in the first
| twenty-four hours after the explosion
| for the relief of the sufferers
Continuing. the president turned to the
mining interests of the South African
| republic, declaring that mining was pro-
! crossing in q prosperous manner and
/ that the labor question which at one
time threatened to interfere with the de-
| velopment of the feature of the cOun-
! try S resources had now assumed much
| brighter aspect.
| The president. in his speech later,
said that proposals dealing with educa-
| ton and farming We're being prepared
for submission to the volksraad.
Referring to the finances of the re-
| public, the president assured parlia-
! ment that they were in sound condi-
/ ton. although the expenditures of the
country were growing. But this, he ex-
| Llained, was in view Of the fact that it
was necessary to keep pace with the
! progress of the country.
In conclusion, Mr.. Krueger said: mo
doubt, especially in the troublous times,
you will strive to fulfill your onerous
duties and devote your highest powers
to the earnest consideration of the cher
ished interests of the commonwealth"
The presidents speech was very we'll
received. being considered most moder-
ate in tone, meeting every situation
/ firmly and squarely without bonbast or
| buster. Those who read between the
| lines notice in it a continuance Of the
same strong. though peace-lovipg. pol
icy which the president has followed
from the firsa, and it is not likely that
there has been or will be any deviation
from the course he was called upon by
/ force of circumstances to steer after the
! conspiracy of the British South Africa
| company was unveiled.
| The reformers now in prison and
| awaiting their final sentences have re-
Gently been allowed many more privi-
! leges than when at first incarcerated
! They are allowed better food, can send
for little delicacies If required and en-
/ joy as much exercise as possible under
| the circumstances
Dispatches from Buluwayo say that