Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-02-14
UNCLE PAUL KRUGER.


The recent events 10 the Transvaal
have brought the search lights of the
newspapers upon Paul Kruger, presi-
dent OF the South African Republic,
and some interesting details have been
revealed by NJ. Leclercq, a French
whose notes are extensively
copied in the French papers.
Let us transport ourselves to Pre-
toria, he says, "the capital of the
Transvaal. If you arrive there in the
night time, in the pale light of the
electric lamps, you notice the wide
and large streets and the whole town
seems to be Of enormous proportions.
But this Illusion is dissipated, or, at
least, attenuated, when you put up at
the Transvaal hotel the only hotel in
the city. 1t is little one-story house,
with a roof like that of a cot
tage. In reality, Pretoria is neither
town nor village 1t is an immense
park, in which houses, villas and cot
tages are scattered. 1t is the appro-
pirate capital of republic of peas
ants. The streets and avenues, which
are bordered by giant eucalyptus
trees, are, in some instances, one or
two leagues in length, which is small
matter for people who travel either
on horseback or in wagons drawn by
steers. But Pretoria, which might
easily hold half a million OF inhabi.
tants has only 10000. 1t is vast col
lection of gardens. Until the build
ings become multiplied, it will con-
tinue to present to the eye little more
than verdure, flowers and shady spots.
One curious detail is that the weep
ing willows imported from the island
of St. Helena are as common as the
rose trees which form the hedges or
fences of the dlfferent places.
1.-THE climate is extremely variable.
The mornings are sharp and cold, and
later on the heat becomes intense.
One would require to have the robust
constitution of a Boer to be able to
stand these extraordinary changes in
temperature. In summer the hail
storms are extremely dangerous, be-
cause the hailstones are big enough to
kill any one outright who does not
take the precaution to run for shelter
when the cloud appears.
"In the center Of the town is a little
old Dutch church, around which are
grouped the principal commercial
houses and public buildings, the gov
ernment palace, or, as it is called the
Palace of an Hundred Rooms, in which
the parliament assemblies, and also
the ministerial departments, the bu
re2us of the president Of the republic
the supreme court and the court ofap
peals.
every morning the Volksraad as
sembles to legislate in a large ball, il
the portrait Of the president is the
most conspicuous piece of ornamental
tlon. The eighty-four legislators lay
down their pipes and sit before tables
covered with green cloth, upon which
are vases containing fresh water
which the legislators absorb in sur
prising quantities. Soon there ap
pears a corpulent parsonage decorated
with large green sash, the sign o
presidential dignity. This is the frs
citizen CT the state, Paul Kruger, o
Uncle Paul, as The Beers call him ia
military.
Everybody rises as the prcsiden
enters. He salGtes the assembly will
sonorous 'Goeden msrgen.' He is ;
rather majestic looking man, but hi
Majesty has something rather rusti
about him, with his poorly fitting Goa
and his big green sash. The tribun
on which he presides looks like roya
throne surmounted by canopy who's
draperies, in the national colors, form
IA frame for the arms Of the republic
BY the side OF this there is a modes
tribune, upon which the president o
the Volksraad is seated. This gentle
man, after Uncle Paul. is the chic
citizen of the republic. At the foo
of the tribune of Uncle Paul at III
tie table sits a man of military all
with small, determined eyes, and
long, thick beard. This is the hero
whom the Beers are so proud, Genera
Joubert the popular and valiant car
tain who beat the English at Majub
Hill. Joubert was the competito
of Kruger at the last presidents
election.
Uncle Paul is at the present tim
fine old man of about 70 years,
powerful build with robust health an
prodigious physical strength. al
assured on the best of authority tha
You Can Believe