The times., 1899-09-27
The Boer mt Ray.

soon come III a short struggle which can
have only one result l. e., the subjugation
and disarmament of the Beers and the an
nexation of the Transvaal to the British
Empire. Nothing could be more evident
than that Kruger, his council. and Yolks
raad have sinned away their day OF grace,
and must now take the consequences of
their stubborn foolishness. They have
been offered terms which were notoriously
more generous than they deserved. Their
internal political integrity has been prom
ised merely with the condition attached
that they should respect their own under
takings in 1881 and 1854. The British Gov
ernment has even agreed to take less in
concessions to the Outlanders than it ex-
acted in the conventions. But the Beers
have steadily refused TO consider any plan
of settlement that should not admit their
international independence, and compel
England 10 submit all other matters of
difference 10 tribunal of arbitration. 1t
may be useful again to summarize the
conditions which have led up to the pres
ent crisis
In 1887, Great Britain having taken POS
session of the Cape previously, decreed the
freedom OF the Kaffirs held in slavery by
the Beers, paying the latter for them over
six million dollars. The loss of power to
enslave the natives led to the great trek
northward, which resulted in the founda-
tion OF the South African Republic and
the Orange Free State. The former. by
continually warning upon tribes friendly
to England and seizing their territory.
mex the Transvaal; but its people were
again accorded internal independence in
1881, with the distinct proviso that British
subjects were to enjoy all rights enjoyed
by the burghers. The suzerainty of Great
Britain was announced in that convention,
and. IN effect, reaffirmed in the later one
of 1884. -
Since the gift to them OF domestic con-
troll. the Beers have been repeatedly helped
and protected against their foes by the
suzerain power The discovery of gold
brought large Outlander population into
the State. making it rich and prosperous.
1t was nothing before.
Instead OF keeping faith and according
full civil rights to British subjects, the
South African Republic has regularly and
always treated them and other resident
foreigners-Germans and HolIanders ex-
cepted-as alien enemies. The Outlanders,
while contributing nearly nine-tenths OF
the State revenues, have been without
voice in its Government. In many other
ways they have been oppressed, abused,
and robbed. Dynamite, a commodity
virtually necessary to mining operations,
has been made a private monopoly in the
hands of Kruger and few of his friends.
and they have more than doubled its price
to the consumer. Other things required
in civilized industry have been treated in
the same way. Within few years, by
such means, the Boer President has
amassed a personal fortune estimated at
the Outlanders.
These unfortunate people who own seven
tenths OF all the wealth OF the country are
not only deprived of their rights. but even
of the protection accorded to foreign resi-
dents by half-ciyiiized communities. They
homes are subject TO search on the order of
any Beer police magistrate. Their posi-
ton before the courts is that of foreign
spies and enemies of the State. They are
hopelessly at the whim and mercy of an
Ignorant, fanatical, and bloodthirsty horde
Of semi barbarians.
All that England asked for their relief
was civil rights, the franchise after reason
able residence and naturalization. and the
abolition of the dynamite monopoly. The
day of asking is past and gone. The Out
landers viii no longer be subjected to
Africanized Dutch robbery and oppression.
1t is perfectly safe to say that Kruger
and his legislature might agree to all the
Miner demands today, without securing
another hearing. At last they have worn
out the patience OF their suzerain, and the
parleying is over. The dispatches which
were sent TO Pretoria. through Sir Alfred
Miner, after the British Cabinet meeting
last Friday mark the end of negotiations
1t will be now simple question of in
stant submission TO the new terms which
will be imposed or a punitive war which
would be worse for the TransyaaI people
by far.
Having failed TO secure any concession,
the British Government will not grant any.
The coming ultimatum viii be short, sharp,
and TO the point. The reabsorption of the
Boer territory by the Empire will be an
nounced. The military forces of the State
will be ordered to disband and surrender
their arms, and Kruger will be notified that
compliance with these conditions will have
10 be immediate. No doubt there will be
armed and desperate resistance. That is
everywhere expected. But the result cannot
be questionable. A short, sharp campaign
may be looked for. Perhaps, in their rage,
the Beers may blow up the mines and de-
stroy the city OF johannesburg. But ulti-
mately, and at no distant date, Sir Redvers
Butler will receive the submission of the
burghers in Pretoria, and the forts Of that
and other places in the country viii bristle
with British guns for generation or two
az the least. In short, the South African
Republic will become but disagreeable
memory.
A New Type of Warrior.