The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-11-11


per cent, and they are mismanaged.
Now, to show that the Boer tax is not
oppressive, will state that the British
themselves exact tax OF twenty per
cent from the gold mines in Rhodesia
and the other British territories. In the
Klondike they exact ten per cent The
Beers exact only two and half per
cent. No, the claim that the British
have been wronged will not hold water.
They can become citizens if they wish,
by complying with the naturalization
laws; but they do not wish to. They
want everything, including the gold
mines and the government. If they sue
coed, it will be case OF highway rob-
bery-but they won't. am young
man, and not very we'll versed in mill
tary matters, but am convinced that
England can never subdue the Beers,
nor wrest their country from them.
While the burghers may not be able to
repeat their victory at Majuba Hill,
when one hundred and fifty of them an
initiated British force of six hundred
and fifty, they will prove very stubborn
fighters. War is very uncertain game
for South Africa. We have seen only
the beginning OF it 1t is like a throw
OF dice, one never knows what combina-
tons will come up. There are five dis
tinct interests in this cast,-the Beers,
the British, the blacks, the Afrikanders,
and the other Outlanders."
This American traveller went to Africa
as the representative OF great Amer
lean daily and knows whereof he speaks.
Referring to Paul Kruger, he says: II
found Dom Paul plain, good-hearted
Dutchman, looking like rich farmer
who had devoted the evening OF his life
OF toll to the cultivation OF his mind.
Mr. Kruger is not only courtly in his
manner, but able to talk we'll and ear
nestly. So far from being gross and
crude and incorporate, he is refined, in
telligent and temperate. OF course, he
is positive man,-not easily influenced
or coerced,-and this trait is probably
the one that provoked SO much English
criticism. 1t did not take me long to
see the situation. Here was the chief
magistrate OF a republic, intensely patri-
otto and devoted to his liberty-loving
people, beset by British subjects who
demanded all the rights and privileges
o: the Beers without giving UP any OF
their own, and who, when their de-
mands were denied, appealed to the
British government to come to their
aid. I noted that the British were chief
ly located in strip OF country two miles
wide by ninety miles long-the strip, l
need hardly say, containing the gold
fields"
He states that Pretoria is another
Gibraltar and that it is his deliberate
opinion that it can never be taken by
the English troops. 1t is surrounded
by steep mountains, very high and prac-
tically inaccessible On top OF the four
cornerhills are fortresses manned by
heavy guns. The arsenals beneath them
are vast storehouses OF ammunition, all
filled. The Beers have been laying in
stores OF arms and ammunition ever
since 1896. There is railroad which
comes tip to the town by sort of cut
or tunnel. This is the only ingress.
Inside the hills is the plateau on which
the town stands 1t is large plateau,
very fertile and finely watered. 1t can
raise crops enough to sustain the de-
tenders for year, or until another crop
is harvested. So siege would have no
terrors for the beleaguered. They can
stay there forever, unless the English
should catch them asleep some night
OF the 5000 Americans in the Trans
vaal, he says three-fourths actively SYM
pathize with the Beers, as against one
fourth who side with the English This
was the situation at the outbreak OF hos
tilities, when the American consul, Mr..
Macrum, stationed at Pretoria, formally
gave notice that state of war existed,
and undertook to represent British con-
sular interests after the departure OF
Conyngham Greene, the British diplo-
matte agent. Most of the Americans
remained, and they have undoubtedly
cast their lot in favor OF the Boer re-
public as against the British empire.
Many Of the other Outlanders will do
the same, and before many months
elapse Great Britain will discover that
Paul Kruger has more friends in Africa
than either Cecil Rhodes or Joe Cham
| berlain.
THEiBR1ToNs AND THE BoERs.
| In the absence of authentic news from