Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-09-16
WORSE THAN WAR,
Miner So Styles Delay in
Transvaal Question.
English Blue Book Issued Covering
the Entire Correspondence.
Situation Unchanged. With Beers Evidently
Srarring to Gain Time.

London, Sept. ia Blue Book con
tanning The last Transvaal dispatch of
the secretary of state to tho colonies.
Mr. Joseph Chamberlain. relating to
the matters which led up 10 its being
sent, were issued, today. The text of
Mr. Chamberlain's note is identical
with the dispatch as cabled to The As
sociated Press, Sept. l3 The only i'm
portant feature revealed is 4 telegram
from the British high commissioner.
Sir Alfred Milner. dated Aug. 81. refer
ring to the commercial distress and
saying:
II am receiving representations from
many quarters to urge the imperial
government to terminate the suspersa.
British South Africa is prepared for
extreme measures and is ready To suf-
fer much more IN order to see. The vim
dication OF British authority. ID is the
| prolurgation of the negotiations. end
less and indccisiVe, that is dreaded.
| fear seriously that there will be a
strong reaction Of feeling against the
| policy Of the imperial government IL
matters drag. Please understand that
| invariably preach confidence ard pa
| tiencc, ana not without effect. But III
| | did not inform You of the Increasing
| difficulty Of doing this and of the uu-
mistakable growth of unpasiue5s about
the present SITUATION and if the desire
| terminated ut any cost | should ~
| failing in my duty"
other lengthy dispatches from the
| British high commissioner arc publish
I'd, but they only reiteratc the tit
lander claims regarding the franchise
| ana the commissioners ideas regard
ing the propositions already made.
The ElUc Book throws no new light
on the situation as it is, today. except
to SHOW that the commissioner pa
ticnce has reached thc turning point.
\ published interview with President
Kruger, said to have taken place at
Pretoria. yesterday. IL far more impgr-
| tant. He is quoted as saying:
y have tried al along to place tn"
aliens in the Transvaai on the samc
footing politically. as the burghers.
Mr. Chamberlain says | have MT kept
my promise. This" thunderyd Prcsi-
dent Kruger, Il deny"
Continuing. the President of the
South African republic lis said g. have
| added: The aliens Of the Transyual
have the same commercial right a. Til"
burghers and have always enjoyed
them without interference. | wanted
| to let them have the same political
rights, but they would not avail them
selves Of this. Roughly. there arr
more than 50.00G aliens who have been
| here more than seven years ana have
registered, thus being eligible 10 the
| franchise. Yet of the British subjects
who have availed themselves of it THE
| chief part have been Afrik9GderS and
not English born. This shows that the
British in the Transvaal DO not want
the franchise.
In my opinion there IS no clusc
whatever for war. Everything Gould
be settled by arbitration
A second edition Of the London Times
today, prints special dispatch from
New Castle. Natal. dated Sept. l.,
which bears out the British high COM
missiuner's statement as it' says the
I-itlanders' council has transmitted to
the imperial government what practi-
c8lly amounts to protest against fur
ther delay. The correspondents says:
They cannot contemplate without
grave misgivings the possibility that
the Pretoria government will be per
mitted to further delay matters on tho
plea of consulting the burghers'
The Times correspondent adds:
There is nothing to confirm the re-
ports that the Beers Will concede Mr..
Chamberlain's demands. On the CON
trary, it is stated that 5000 men viii b.
dispatched to the border Immediately
after the Transvaars reply is sent.
Everything points to the prospect Of
an early conflict"
The advices from Cape Town, today,
tend to confirm the pessimistic View Of
the Times correspondents at New Castle.
Continued on page 81