The evening times., 1896-02-06
BOER REPUBLICS PRESIDENT
Uncle Paul Ia Greatly Revered by All
His People.
New York Sun

|
| His People.
New York Sun.
| The recent events in the Transvaal have
Drought the search lights of newspaDers
upon Paui Kruger. president OF the South
| African repabiic. and soine Interesting
| details have been revealed by a French
Traveller, III. Lec.ercq, whose notes are
extensively copred in the French papers
Let us transport ourselves To Pretoria, -
ne says. the capital Of The TransvaaI. The
| climate is extremely variable. The morn
| inSs are sharp and cold. and later OH The
neat becomes intense. one would require
TO have the robust constitution of u Boer
10 De able TO Stand these extraordinary
changes IN temperature. In summer the
hall storms are extremely dangerous be-
cause The hailstones are big enough to kill
any one Outright who does not take the
prccaution to run for shelter when the
cloud appears. a..
livery morning the VolksrIad assemblies
TO Iegisiate in Il large hail. in which the
portrait OF the president is the most con-
spiCuous piece OF ornaInentation. The
eighty-four legislators lay down their pipes
and sit before tables covered with green
cioth, upon winch are vases containing fresh
water. which The legislators absorb in sur
prising quantities. Soon there appears q
corpulent parsonage decorated with a large
green sash. the sign of presidential dignity.
This Is the first citizen OF the state. Paul
Kruger. or Uncle Paul as the Beers call
hrn flmiliarly.
Everybody rises as the president enters.
He Ealutcs the assembly with sonorous
'Goeden morgen.' He is u rather ina iestiC-
looking IGan, but bis ma lcsty has some
thing rather rustic about him, with his
poorly fitting coat and his big green sash.
The tribune upon which he pTcsidcs locks
like royal throne surmounted by a can
opy, whose dr3peries. in the national co..
ors. form frame for the arms of the
republic. By the Side of this there is a
modest tribune, upon which the pres dent
OF the Voiksraa<f- is seated. -hH
This gentleman, after Uncle Paul. is
the chief citizen OF the republic. AT the
foot of The. tribune OF Uncle Paul at a
-3ittle table. sits a man of military air.
with small, determined eyes. and il long,
thick beard. This is the hero OF whom the
Beers are 50 proud, Gen. Joubert. the
popular and valiant captain WHO beat the
English at N5iuhl Hill. Joubert was the
competitor sif Kruger at the last prcsi-
Dental elections.
Uncle Paul isiat the present time fine
old man OF about seventy years. OF power
ful build. with robus; health and pro-
disious physical strength. l am assured
on the best of authority that, the Vr, sidcni
Of the Transvaal eats his two pot nds pf
meat at each one OF his three meals.
His capacity in this Respect snrpass sses that
OF all the other chiefs of state. His nose is
big and reddish. his lip is wide and thick
and hts beard is out after the fashion of
sailors. His eye is small and almost ma
licious. and the ensemble Of The face rep
resents a typical Boer in all his rudeness and
native energy.
IN. Kruger draws 200 francs from the
civil list. As n matter or course he has
received numerous decorations. but lie is
especially proud Of having dined with
Prince Bismarck and with the Emperor
OF Germany. He affects reserve and
tolerably majestic manners. The son OF
an hon est farmer, his education il somewhat
limited. but circumstances have lifted him
up to the position OF a genuine leader in
government. He is a great patriot. Sc
we're Puritan in his manners, and profoundly
religious.
Two qualities which he possesses in a
rare degree are good horse sense and integ-
rity. and his conduct has shown that he
knows how to unite indonitable energy
with all the resources of diplomatic skill"