Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-10
SATURDAY. .........JUNE 10, 1899
THE TRANSYAAL CRISIS.

II begins TO look as if Great Britain
will settle the Transvaal trouble with ma
chine guns. The grievances of the Tit
landers are such that there must be a
settlement. the conference between Sir
Alfred Miner and President Kruger has
cone to nothing. and, If the latter per-
sists in his obstinacy, 1t would seem clear
that the only solution of the problem is
in war. Moreover Chamberlain has
placed the British Government in a posi-
ton as champion OF the cause Of the Uit-
landers from which it cannot back down
with honor. and the British press is be-
hind the Colonial Secretary.
Under the rule Of strict construction,
kruger has the best OF the controversy.
He freely acknowledges the binding force
OF uhe convention of 1884, and recognizes
the \suzerainty of Great Britain thereun-
der Rut, practically, that suzerainty only
affects the foreign relations of the Trans
yaal. as involved in the negotiation of
treaties. High British authority in inter-
preting The convention has declared I'M
oualihedly that 1t leaves the Beers free
10 govern the country without interfer-
ence. The real question at issue is a do
nestle one. and, consequently, Great Bril-
tain is barred in the view Of internation-
al law from intervening in it, Negatively,
at least, Mr. Chamberlain himself pub
licly recognized this when in the House
of Commons he sought to make the dyna-
mite monopoly a justification for bringing
the Transvaal dispute to head. He as
serted that in the matter of that mo-
nopoly the Beers had been guilty of a
violation OF the London convention, see
ing that the convention contained clause
fhat,there should be no Interference with
che commerce of British subjects in the
Transyaal. But his contention went down
before the fact that the dynamite mo-
popoly does not discriminate against the
British Uitlanders as such, and the indis.
putabls evidence that in respect of 1t,
kruger was acting within his legal rights.
Az to this and several other drastic mea-
s,ires. which 1t had been claimed in
fringed upon the terms of the convention,
the willy old Boer had fortified himself
with the opinions Of distinguished inter-
national lawyers. 1t follows, therefore,
that. strictly speaking, the British repre-
sentative at the Bloemfontein conference,
Vhich has had no other result than that
q making the British people thoroughly
mad, had no legal grievance to present.
From the standpoint of the guarantees
of the convention, Kruger had and held
the coign OF vantage.
But when II is said that the old BoeI
was technically in the right all is admit
ted that can be admitted in support OF
his position. AS we understand IL, the
only concessions he would agree TO make
were in consideration of British re-
nunciation Of suzerainty and British re-
cognition OF the absolute independence OF
the Transvaal, and these concessions were
only to become operative after a series of
years and provided three fOCrths OF the
,Boer voters would then be willing. In
the mean time, presumably, the present
intoierable order of things was not 10
be materially changed. The white mig.
gers" as the Beers term the Tit
landers, were still TO be subjected
10 tyrannical oppression. and outra-
geous exactions in the shape of taxation.
They were, as Mr.. Balfour aptly phrased
it, to be denied the elementary rights
OF civilization"
And in this was struck the keynote OF
Great Britain's justification for settling
the question by force OF arms In IL Is
justification for the prediction that she
viii so settle 1t unless Kruger takes
the back track. and that speedily.
Further, Notwithstanding that war with
the Beers would probably end In British
annexation OF their country, and give us
another illustration OF British greed"
In the struggle the invaders would have
the sympathy of the civilized world. Not
subjects OF Great Britain alone.
but subjects and citizens, respect
lively. OF nearly all OF the other
civilized Powers. are victims OF Kruger $
injustice. oppression. arrogance. inhu-
nanity. and humiliating laws. lie has
been afforded ample opportunity TO con-
form to the moral demands OF the situa-
tion, but refused. and a higher law
than international law sustains the pro-
position that, II necessary. he should be
whipped into yielding. IL may be true.
as has been suggested that in forcing the
Iransyaai issue. Great Britain has the
Cape ia-cairo" policy as much y mind