Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-05
Address of the President of the
Transvaal Republic.
ASOUfH AFRICAN FEDERATION
Friendly Relations With Foreign
Powers.
WITH THE SPEECH

Copyright 1896. by the Associated Prcss)
PRETORIA, South African Republic,
May 4.-(Delayed in transmission)-Th
voksraad (parliament of the TransvaaD
was opened today by President Kruger.
Great and most unusual interest was
taken in the proceedings in view of the re-
cent disclosures made by the publication
of the cipher kilograms exchanged between
Cecil Rhodes, then premier of Cape Colony,
and others who took more or less import
ant part in the Jameson raid in the terri
tory of the Boer republic
Praise for the President.
The vicinity of the parliament building
was crowded by picturesque gathering of
Beers long before the hour set for the
opening of it's proceedings, and warm in
deed were the concentrations passed upon
the diplomacy of loom Paul. who has so
cIeverly outfenced the British secretary of
state for the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Cham
be rlain, from first to last, and who is now
so completely master of the situation that
he towers head and shoulders over every
Africa.
The president, in his speech, said, in
trief, that the recent events. due to
malevolence and selfish Objects had Sc
riously interrupted the rest and peace Of
the South African Republic, adding:
1T has been ever my wish to promote
the development and prosperity of the
republic in the most peaceabe manner
possible, SO | am firmly convinced that
1t is your sincere wish to cooperate with
me in this policy and that you expect with
the fullest confidence that this session of
the Nolksraad will contribute in no small
manner to the restoration of peace in this
state, in order that, through our united CO.
OPERATION our country may flourish and
prosper for the benefit of ALL" loud APP
plauSG.)
1he president then touched upon the
foreign relations of the South African Re
pubic the most delicate and eagerly an
t1c1pated portion of the speech saving.
In spite of past troubles. the republic
continues to maintain friendly relations
with foreign powers"
rms subject was there significantly dron-
ped, and the president turned 10 The re-
lationS between the South African RenuhIfc
ana itG sister republic, the Orange Free
State, remarking:
South African Federation.
i hope that meeting between represen-
tatives of the Orange Free State and rem
resentatives of the South African Repub-
hc VIII shortly be held and that plans for
closer union between the two countries
will be discussed" Applause.)
This utterence of President Kruger was
looked upon as confirming the report that
negotiations have for some time past been
on loot for an alliance. offensive and de-
fensive, between the South African Repub-
lie and the Orange Free State, looking to
resisting any attempt upon the part of
Great Britain to interfere in the internal
affairs of either country.
The president afterwa~d referred in an
appropriate manLcr to the terrible dyna-
mite disaster, just outside OF Johannesburg
on February 10, when I2O persons We're
Killed and thousands We're rendered home
less In this connection the president ac-
knowledged the assistance rendered by the
Citlanders of the Rand to the Boer au-
thorties, the foreigners having tenderiy
cared for the wounded and collected about
100000 in the first twenty-four hours after
the explosion for the relief of the SUFFERING
The presidents speech was very well re-
ceived, being considered most moderate III
tone although meeting every situation firm
ly and squarely without bombast or buster.
Those who read between the lines notice
In 1t a continuance of the same strong
though peace-loving policy, which the presi-
dent has followed from the first. and it is
not likely tfat there has been or will be
any deviation from the course he was call
ed upon by force Of circumstances to steer
after the conspiracy of the British South
African Company was unveiled.