The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-17

the presidency of the Transvaal re-
public, gives interest to the following
readable sketch of this remarkable
man printed in the Chicago-Times-
Herald at the time of Krueger's first
rise into international prominence
year ago.
No one of the great men Of the world
has a more interesting personality and
career than Paul Kruger, president
of the Transvaal republic. During his
life time he has raised himself by his
won efforts from cowboy to king. His
title is that of president, but for all
that he is king in everything else,
and no monarch In the world rules
his subjects with more autocratic hand.
1t is true that there is a congress,
called the volksraad, and it has the
lawmaking power, but when the volks-
raad refuses to do as Mr.. Kruger
wishes he threatens to resign. This
he has done five or six times, and 1t
has always resulted in loom Paul's"
having his own way. Thus he rules
not by fear or by armed force, but be-
cause the Beers have absolute conf
dence in his judgment and are willing
10 allow him to be virtual dictator.
kruegers career has much in 1t to
cans in the republic call him the Afri-
can Lincoln, and the strong will is
trait of both men, just as much as is
the fact that both rose from humble
beginnings to be rulers of their ma
lions.
The republic of which is Kruger is
the virtual dictator is really an dig
archy. The Transvaal has an area of
about 100000 square miles. In this
vast territory only million
people live. And of these three
fourths are the native blacks. who
are of a low order of intelligence,
Ihere are 5000 whites, and of
these less than 10000 have any voice
IN the government, and these consti-
tute the body of men who have sue
cessfully defied Cecil Rhodes Cham
oerlaln and the power of the British
nation which had hitherto carried
things In Africa with a high hand.
RECENT DIFFICULTY,
1t is this oligarchical rule that has
been the cause of the recent disturb
ances in the Transvaal. The 80 per
cent. OF the whole number of white
people who are dsfranchised have al
ways been hostile to the rule of the
Boers and have plotted to bring about
British rule In the Transvaal, being
themselves for the most part of Brit
lsh birth. That these whites are dis
1ranchised Is to grea. extent their
own tault. and is not the injustice that
IL would seem from the bold state
ment OF fact. The truth Is that for
elgners In the Transvaal have the same
rights as they have In the United
states. The British want to be allowed
to vote without being naturalized. but
the laws of the Transvaal, like those
OF the United States, do not allow for
elgners to vote unless they have sworn
allegiance to their adopted country and
renounced allegiance to that of their
birth. And this can only be done after
residence of a certain number of
years.
That the foreigners have been check
ed is due to the genius Of Kruger and
to nothing else. For the foreigners are
not like the miserable native Kaffirs.
They are men of English birth, and
full Of pluck. Not only this. but thew
have wealth as well as brains, for they
have vast fortunes. which they have
made from gold and by robbing the
natives, and they also have that keen
est of incentives to lure them on in
their contest with the Boers-other
gold mines that the Beers will not al
low to be dug
yet Kruger has shown true states
manship by the way he has always re-
mained the master of the situation.
HIS craftsmanship of the past two
years has not been more astute than
was that displayed by him twelve
years ago. when the Dutch vanquished
the English and won their independ-
ence. And in all the history of the
Transvaal it has been necessary to use
the greatest arts Of the diplomatist.
This he has done so well that Ris-
marck has said that Kruger was the
only natural diplomat whom he had
ever met.
BLOOD THAT TELLS
In all his struggles Kruger has had
. the little band OF Beers united in his
support. That such a small body of
men should have been able to main
tain themselves so long as a semi-in-
dependent state under the condition Is
one OF the most remarkable achieve
ments Of the nineteenth century. But
the Beers are of good blood. In their
IL
ers, who wrested their liberties from
the French and the spaniards two GEN.
turies ago, and also that of the Hugue-
nots, who were expelled from France
by Louis XVI. at the suggestion of
Nine. de Maintenon. The Calvinistic
tenacity Of liberty and rights survives
in the Beers.
Originally the Beers settled Cape Col
ony, and there begun the British ag-
gression against which they have con-
stantly struggled and which has i'm
planted in them such a hatred of the
English that the word "Englishman"
is the most severe epithet one Boer
can apply to his enemy The Eng
lish robbed them of their lands and
prosecuted them for several genera
tions. Then, in despair the Beers re-
solved TO seek a new country, where
they could be free. Then began the
great trek, or exodus, of 1834-36. They
GiVided. One part settled in the Orange
Free State the other in Natal The
finst were conquered by the British in
lS4S, but afterward gained a semi-in-
dependence.
Later those at Natal We're dispos-
sessed of their lands. Again they took
TO their wagons and founded the new
republic. at first called the Dutch Afri-
can Republic, but afterward changed
to South African Republic. This was
in 1858. The land which they occupied
was regarded as worthless, and the
British allowed them to live in peace
until 1877, when they were attacked by
the British governor of Natal. For four
years the Beers nursed their wrongs,
and then they made a concerted at
tack upon the British and won every