Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-16
PRESIDENT KRuGER EASILY LEADS.
BOcr Several Points Ahend of tho
Triton in DipIOmntic Mnnenvcrs.

BOcr Several Points Ahead of tho
BrftOn in Diplomatic Mnneuvcrs.
Copyright, 1896, by Press Publishing Company
LONDON, Feb. 15.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram.)-Arthur Bal
four speaking in the House of Commons
last night on the Transvaal question, COM
pletely confirmed the statement cabled on
Thursday, that President Kruger has strongly
complained of Lord Salisbury's reference to
the South African republic and ireland, as
II both stand in the same relation to the
British empire. Mr.. Balfour, replying to
Sir William Harcourt, admitted the COM
plant, but he did not volunteer the fur
ther fact (Which is said to be true) that in
addition to protesting against the character
of Lord Salisbury's remarks, the Boer presi-
dent demanded an explanation or the with
drawal of them. Mr. Balfour was evidently
much humiliated in making his disclaimer
and he did 1t with very bad grace.
What, between President Kruger's indig-
nation at Lord Salisbury's speech and his
angry reputation of Mr.. Chamberlain's pro-
posed scheme Of home rule for the Rand and
the consequent withdrawal of that dispatch
by the British colonial secretary, the rela-
tions between the British government and
the Transvaal republic are spoken Of in the
House Of Commons lobby as exceedignly
strained. Observations Of very bellcose
character were heard among the tory men,
bers who, still smarting under the recol-
lections Of the Krugersdorf defeat, are eager
to avenge 1t by the application of force, II
necessary, by Great Britain should Mr.. sKru-
ger provo obstinate in resisting demands for
reforms. That armed intervention by Eng
land would almost certainly lead to war with
Germany is accepted by those jingoes who
declare that pretensions of Germany in South
Africa will have to be checked, and argue
that England should not wait to take decisive
action until the German navy has been
strengthened.
The denial of the German foreign minister
Of the statement that President Kruger ap-
pealed to Germany for support on hearing
of Jameson's foray, has created much
astonishment in official circles here. My in
formation. which comes from an excellent
source, is that President Kruger informed.
first Sir Jacobus Dewett, and afterward Sir
Hercules Robinson himself, that he had ad-
dressed appeal, not only to Germany,
but to the United States government, and
gave them to understand that his appeal had
been responded to. The British government
has no option but to believe that this state
ment by President Kruger was baseless, and
was made with the object-whch is decidedly
attained-of engenderlng an increased anxiety
on the part of the British government to con-
ciliate him. Mr.. Kruger had taken good
care that IL Mr. Chamberlain had declined
the proposal, the unofficial channel through
which it was made would have left the Boer
government uncompromised. Then Mr..
Kruger, in reply. innocently expressed his
readiness to procure the consent of tho
Volksraad to the visit If the convention Of
1884 was left open to discussion. The effect
has been to place Mr.. Chamberlain in a
very awkward position. and leave the trick
with Mr.. Kruger, who may be relied
upon to make the utmost possible use Of Il
in the subsequent negotiations.