The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-22
WILL NOT SUBMIT.
Demand Of Mr.. Chamberlain for a
Court Of Inquiry Refused.
KRUGER EVADED THE ISSUE.
New Terms We're Proposed by the
Transyaal's President,
WHICH WILL HARDLY BE NOTICED.
British Officials Believe that War Can Not
Now Be Avoided.
An OUTBREAK on THE FRONTIER FEARED
WHICH WILL HARDLY Be NOTICED.
An OUTBREAK on THE FRONTIER FEARED
EnIistinR Throughout the Colony Is
Going On and the Troops Are
Being Sent TO the Border.

Capetown. August 2l-The report that
the Transvaal government had handed Its
reply to the British agent at Pretoria, to
be forwarded to Sir Alfred Miner, British
high commissioner for South Africa and
governor of Cape Colony, is confirmed.
1t is believed that the proposition OF Great
Britain for commission TO investigate
the effect which the franchise reform
would have upon the Uitlanders. has not
been adopted. but fresh proposals have
been advanced.
Sunday was observed throughout the
Orange Free State and Cape Colony with
humiliation and prayer and sermons ad-
MIR, Snytler. a leading Dutch reform
preacher here, referred to the close ties
uniting the Cape Dutch to those of the
Transvaa, which, he added. were mem
bers OF the great Afrikander family. If
war was declared he said, Great Britain
would commit a ''beinous crime before
God and man., resulting In civil war in
Cape Colony.
There is every evidence of growing UNI
easiness of johannesburg Great crowds
gather at the railway stations
According 10 late reports the Trans
walls reply is a counter proposal OF Ave
years retroactive franchise in the election
of the president and an increased represen-
tation. 1t is said that the suggestion Is
made to submit all other differences to ar
bitration.
London, August 21.-The colonial office,
In confirming the dispatch from Capetown
saying the Transvaal government had
handed It's reply TO the British agent at
Pretoria, says that Sir Alfred Miner has
photographed the message to that office.
All that the officials at the colonial office
would say in regard to the matter was
that the reply is not complete accept
ance of the proposal of Mr. Chamberlain.
There Is no longer any doubt that Pres
ident Kruger has refused to submit to the
demand of Mr. Chamberlain for the APP
pcintment of a colrt of inquiry. He may
have done so automatically or hedgingly.
But that his answer is regarded by the
British government as tatamount to pos
tive refusal IL now an established fact
The colonial office is normally non com
initial, but there are other evidences
which amply justify the statement
The report that President Kruger has
proposed new terms is somewhat verified
by the guarded comment of the colonial
office officials and the irrtabiity dis
played there. There is not the slightest
doubt that they now believe that war Is
the only way to settle the controversy
They would far rather have curt, defiant
answer than the temporizing answer which
the Boer president has sent With the
former. Great Britain would have plain
grounds for quick commencement of hos
tilties. Under the circumstances which
it is believed now exists, aggressive ac-
ton needs considerable explanation to JUS
tify 1t In the eyes of the world and the
English majority which still declares that
war would be an outrage. However II
Mr.. Chamberlain has his way, II Is be-
iieyed Kruger's counter proposals will
meet with scant attention. and unless
the Beers completely back down, which
Is not likely, the crisis Will quickly de-
velop into war
II has developed that the war office has
been aware OF the nature of the Trans
walls answer for several days and that
it was communicated to the war office
hence II Is possible that Great Britain win
delay the announcement as little as pos
sihle. A prominent colonial official eS-
pressed to the correspondent OF the Asso'
ciated Press his disgust at what he termed
kruger stupidity and hypocrisy"
He said THE kind OF game which |
Kruger is playing must be clear TO Amer
leans. The proteststions of the Beers that
they wish to live quiet, agricultural
life may be the tune of some OF the Heldt,
but the gang at Pretoria is simply after |
money Though President Kruger says
many harsh things OF the Uitlanders, he
never hesitsted to make money out oil
them either by fair or foul means.
This Transyaal question can not be
Judged by recent occurrences. You must
20 back nifty years. It has been hanging