The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-13
HOUSTON. WEDNESDAY. DEC. II.
TWELVE PAGES
CARNEGIE AND THE TRANsyAAL
4

WAR.
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie is much sppre
oiated philanthropist in Houston and other |
Texas towns just now, because Of his gen
erous donations to various public library
movements His views on public questions
and events are therefore OF conspicuous /
interest with Texans for his munihcent
generosity has brought them to desire
10 know more of this profound student. |
benefactor and man OF gigantic affairs who
has placed succeeding generations of
Texaps in his debt.
The North American Review for Decem-
Der contains contribution from Mr.. Car
negie. in which he treats The South !
African Question" after the forceful and
direct style that he has employed in his
stupendous business operations. 1t is
subject In which public interest IS kept
alive by the terrific struggle now in pro-
gress between Britain and Boer Mr. Car |
negio in part says:
In considering this question mush push
aside AS irrelevant the reason given for tue
resent demand upon the Transyaal Tbs,
It will he remembered was the wrongs OF
the foreigners there. The negotiation started
with tho presentation of petition, ostensiply
signed BY these Ultlanders. implorng the
queen 10 consider their wrongs and TO oh
tan redress. The British government called
the attention OF its high commissioner 10
this request and asked him 10 confer with
the Transvaal government. This resulted In
n conference. The main demand made by
the British agent was for Il shorter residence
for these foreigners TO render them eligible
for the franchise. Britain wished hVe years
residence; tho Transyaal proposed seven.
The difference not being great, 1t was gen
orally supposed that subsequent negotiations
a
be we'll Subsequently. hve years was Of
fered by President Kruger, under conditions
which the British agent at Pretoria, Mr.
Greene. stated he thought his government
would accept, and which. Mr.. Chamberlain
admitted, conceded nine-tenths Of British de-
mands.
This franchise demand was very soon seen
10 be 6ingy foundation for Britain 10 rest
action upon, because IT. placed her IN ~
attitude of aborng for increased facilities
for her OVID subjects to denationalizo them
selves and become subjects OF the Trans
Vaa The public In Great Britain however.
not see for q time that the uitlanders
wrongs were merely an excuse for raising the
real ISSUE. The London Times. however
from near the very beginning, and continual
ly as the negotiations proceeded, did not fail
TO state that this whole business of tral-
ehse for Uitlanders did not reach the prob
lem, which was, IN short. whether the Brit
ish or the Dutch wore TO control south Al
rca,
and Sir Edward Clarke demonstrated tina.
tho suzerainty" OF Britain was abolished
by the existing convention, the Times boldly
replied that this was a matter not at all de-
pending upon such subtle legal conadera-
lions, and stood, as before stated. upon tho
broad Issue. Briton VS.. Boer. In this The
Times WAS quite right, such is the issue and
none other. Nor Is It Il new one, IL was the
issue in the last war between Britain and
tho Transvaal. In which the former was
woFsted and there is no other Issue in this
war
1t is the fashion today to censure Mr. Glad;
stones decision TO end the last Trapsvaal
war and coneede to the Boer as the prnc-
teal fruits OF victory, the INDEPENDENCE OF
the republic. party IN Britain held then.
been continued, 'Maiuba Hill' avenged and
British ascendency then hrmly established
as having acted under the intuence OF senti-
ment as opposed to practical politics and giv-
ing way 10 the natural dislike of great EN-.
few Beers In this the writer thinks they
do Mr.. Gladstone grave Injustice as states.
man Much to this great mans credit, ne
more open to the charge OF maSnanluous
treatment OF other nations than most British
statesmen. but Mr.. Gladstone had the ad.
wee OF the ablest men conyersant with tho
situation in South Africa, when he decided
that force. in this case. was no remedy; thai
far-seeing stntcsmanship required that the
II II were ever TO be amicably merged into
the British. There have always been two
parties advising different courses in regard
10 this serious question, There We're Two IN
Mr. Gladstone's time and there are two to-
day-one urging peace, the other war
Ine situation Hliy nc tnus uescrluvus INV
Dutch settled in the Cape nearly $50 years
ago, and were the dominant power. Britain
subsequently, took the Cape as harbor or
the route to India and has remained In pow
or. The Dutch race has settled there. is TO
day increasing rapidly and has made Soutt
Africa Its home. Sufficient time mas eispsee
for successive generations. OF the Dutch
strain to be reared there, who now call them
selves "Afrikanders'' and have strong
league the soul OF which is the idea thai
Africa belongs to the Afrikanders-to those
who we're born there, whether British OF
Dutch.
The war party made much Of President
Kruger's so-calied ultimatum. but the
wonder Is not that this was issued. but
that Il was so long delayed. War wa
practically declared when Britain begar
the movement OF large bodies OF troops
toward the borders OF the Orange Free
State. and to points which hemmod the
Transvaal In. An English military critlt
said before the ullmatum came that fol
the TransvaaI to allow these masses o
soldiers to press closer daily would b.
military insanity. The British continued
TO mass troops. confident that the Trans
vaal authorities would never take up this
challenge. When they did so the British
forces we're still unprepared,
The right Of Britain to attack the Dutch
simply because they we're rapidly inereas'