The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-19
LEADER OF BOER ARMY.
General Joubert, the Fighter, and His
Contempt For the English.

Contempt For the English.
General P ]. Joubert is the most
celebrated fighter in South Africa. He
is vice president and the commander
in-chief of the Boer army, and is looked
on as the country's savior in the event
of war with England. The general is
6S years old now, and Scared by many
a wound from English bullet and native
assegai. Yet he is sturdy of frame and
keen of eve. He led the Beers at Ma
iuba Hill where $50 English gave up
their lives, General Joubert losing but
five men. He beat the English at
Laing's Neck, commanded the forces
at Bronkhorst and Spruit, and finally
caught Jameson like a rat in a trap
through quick mobilization of troops.
He fought in the native wars when
Paul Kruger was commander, and
these two became bosom friends. They
and one other Boer were selected to
conduct the affairs of the TransvaaI
when it was in rebellion against Eng
land in 1881, and General JoUbert has
several times come within a few votes
of beating Dom Paul for the presidency.
He will probably be the next to assume
that position, as he holds different
views from Kruger. He believes that
landers in a reasonable time they would
become good citizens and that this is
the way to solve the problem. AT the
same time he will not sanction any sort
Of a revolt, and when the Jameson
raiders were landed safely in Pretoria
Jail he was one who favored shooting
them.
Dom Pauls diplomatic powers stand
out in distinct contrast to Joubert, VINO
is essentially a lover of powder. Ten
thousand Beers were gathered about
the Jail, specializing as to the fate OF
the prisoners. Some were for instant
death, and others, as d grim joke, sug-
gested cutting off their ears. This was
taken up by the press Immediately, and
in a few hours the world was shudder-
ing at the bloodthirstineSs OF the
Transvaal burghers. In the meantime
the question was being settled by Dom
Paul, who was trying to save the lives
of the prisoners, and to this end used
every art of persuasion with Joupert,
the two being closeted whole night.
Dom Paul finally prevailed, ana Jou-
bert went out before the assembly TO
win them over to the lenient position.
This was his speech: Fellow burgh-
ers. if YOU had a beautiful flock of
sheep, and a neighbours dogs got into
the pasture and killed them, what
would you do? Would you take your
rifle and straightway proceed to shoot
those dogs, thus making yourself liable
to greater damage than the value Oh
the sheep destroyed, or would you lay
hold on those dogs and carry them 10
your neighbour, saying; Now, heres
your dogs. | caught them in the act
Pay me and they shall be returned.
The general waited a moment for the
words to take effect, and then added:
I'VE have the neighbours dogs in jail.
What shall we do with them? There
was hardly a voice against returning
the prisoners to the English, and events
proved how wise the Beers had been
Joubert can collect his whole army in
forty-eight hours, speedier moplllza-
ton than any other nation can poast
Of He has divided the Transvaal INTO
seventeen divisions, each under a COM
mander. They are subdivided into sec
tons. commanded by field comets ana
assistant field comets. When the toe
sin is sounded the officers ride from
one farm to another until thes. whole
is warned The Boer has rifle
and ammunition ready, and piece OF
'biltong' or dried beef, on which ne
can subsist for two weeks. He Jumps
On his horse and hurries~to the gather
ing place, leaving the women TO farm
md herd the cattle.
General Joubert lnews the might OF
the English, but has little respect Tor
their craftsmanship. When ] was a
ooy," he told the writer, IAN Engllsn
,egiment was quartered on our farm.
One day three hartbeeste sprang up on
he veldt and half the regiment shot a
hem and missed. | and two other LADS
hen brought our rifles to our shoul-
lers, and each brought down one
naesfn That is the WaY we shoot at |