New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-21
LIGHT on THE TRANSVAAL.
AN IMPORTANT BOOK by THE sEcRE.
TARY OF THE REFORM COMMITTEE
NATURAL EQUITIES OF THE
CASE FOR INTERFFRENCE.

London October H.
Mr william Hcnemann has published a book
which has been advertised in the NEST consplc-
uous way without penny n expense. Mss
Flora Shaw has reviewed in IN detail for Tho
Times" and attention has been directed 20 I
i'm leading article az fhc book os tho hour
which throws Hight upon the critical relations o,
England and the South African republics
The book Is The Transvaai from within" AMI
the author is Mr. j. = Fitzpatrick who Has
born In South Africa. has h~eG In tho Trans
yaal for fifteen years. and as secretary u he
Reform Committee Of Johannosburg was I'M
prisonod heavily fined and finally released m
der pledge to abstain from meddling in political
affairs fer three years Few men would have
considered this pledge as a prohibition ag nst
the publication # plain record ~ facts in ro-
lati0n To the reform movement phi DIT ftfz-
patr k has been highly sensitive on point -
personal honor He compiled a record ~ recent
affairs In the Transvaai. but waited nn'H mo
tbrea wears. period If silence had expired before
printing it for private circulation h's ifends
NJ once urged him To- publish il with few ad-
ditional chapters dealing With nter events This
no has done. and tho book now appears at mo-
mont when everybody Is eager 20 obtain infor-
nation which viii explain and justify Tho con-
duct Of the British GoYcrnmont in enforcing
under menace Of war the political rights y the
English settlers in the Transvaal
THE EQUITY or THE CASE
may frankly say that as an American grat"
Cul for the large measure ~ moral support and
generous appreciation which the 'ni'on states
received from the English people during be var
with Spain. | have been most anxious io no
convinced that the British Government has a
basra
able TO find unanswerabe proofs IN the dIi 10
matte CORRESPONDENCE Of the blue books While
the case for the political emancipation - the
Outlanders is inherently strong and valid as
matter Of natural equity. tho legality ~ coer-
cion under the revised Convention Of $50 a.
officially interpreted by Lord Derby. is an open
question. After the resources OF hair splitting
argument have been exhausted the truth r.
mains that Mr.. Gladstone. in an excess ~ mag.
ranlmitv to the Beers. whose passion FIR inde-
p,ndence appealed 10 his English liberty loving
instinct tied the hands Of the British Govern
rnent SO that it IS unable to redress tn" political
grievances Of the Outandcrs and O. enforce the
natural equities Of the case without incurrins
the reproach II regulating "A convention
careful reading Of Mr. Fitzpairick's book has
convinced me that. while he does not take Up
the question Of legality. h. presents with cumu-
lative power case for interference On the
ground Of natural equity.
Mr. Fitzpatrick is ~ course. r partisan. who
feels intensely the indignity and injustice y the
Outlanders' position, but ne is also a sincere
and honest writer who carefully avoids over
statement and unfeir argument and Is content
to tell a plain story with candor and self-re-
straint The temper u his book IS admirable.
and II is filed with information which is of the
utmost Importance in enabling an outsider 10
form an intelligent and a lucid Judgment ~ the
Transvaal controversy. II IS not controversial
in tone. and this is strong point IN rs favor
after the wearsome polemcs and recent petit
Jogging over the letter OF the conventions and
the m aanng Of suzerainty. It IS a plain Nara
rive Of what has been going on during recent
years in the Transvaal and with true sense Of
proportion and perspective it gives a clear view
Of the trend Of Boer policy and administration
In Offering persistent resistance 10 the manifest
crder Of progress ard to the genius OF cviNsa-
ton. -.
Seven If the eleven chapters ~ the volume are
occupiad with the history u the reform move
ment the Jameson raid and the trial and the
release If the leaders who were condemned
either 10 death or imprisonment The authors
candor il conspicuous in this portion u the
work He names Mr. Alfred Belt and Mr. CecA
Rhodes as the chiefs TO whom the ultimate DE-
cision as 10 whether il was necessary t.om the
capitalistic point 81 view To resort % extreme
measures was necessarily left" He considers II
impossible 70 say with whom the idea ~ the
raid originated Perhaps it terminated "hen
Or. Jameson read the life Of Give Probably
was the result of discussion. and no one mans
idea. At any rate arms and ammunition were
purch lsed and arrangements were made oy
which they should be Struggled into rho country
ccncealed in machinery or gold mining appii-
ances." Nj Rhodes was consulted and con-
scented to keep Jameson on the frontier as long
as might bee necessary
The author admits that association Win me
leader Of an invading force is he one rtion IL
their programme which the reform leaders ma
II difficult to justify. He asserts thar 'he re-
formers intended 10 call upon Or. jameson IN
case they were attacked 10y the Bosrs and IN
able to cope with them but adds that his was
a modification of the original arrangement oy
which both forces We're 10 act simultaneously
and i'm concert. Dr Jameson made two VISITS -
Johannesburg and obtained the l'ti"r Of INVITA-
tion. which he dated when h. decided % start on
the raid This letter was drafted 10y Nj 'hares
Leonard and was To- be- used privately and IN
case Of necessity for the purpose of housing
Dr. Jameson 10 the dire tors Z IN" chartered
Company and the Imperial authorities
When the responsibility ~ the reform leaders
who entered into the original conspiracy Is
frankly conceded explanations of their failure
10 cooperate with him mr., mere matters ~ de-
tail They tried t. prevent the raid whom they
found that they were not prepared for th" emei-
gcncv. but Dr Jameson took IN" hit between his
teeth and hot"d. The story ~ the raid is Oh airy
told. with only one detail that is fresh namely
the text Of the reply which Or Jameson sent 10
Colonel Rhodes on IN" eve II his battie The
letter was concealed in the bicycle az the us
patch bearer and was not brought t. light uniH
the machine was repair. q by "a mechanic months
afterWard