Washington sentinel., 1899-04-15
HE UlTLANDERs' Petition TO THE
BRITISH GOVRRNMENT,

prosperity on the Rand nor the recent
speeches OF President Kruger have
allayed the deep, chronic discomfort nj
the Uitlander population Just three
months ago, it will be remembered.
some 1000 Of the British Uitlanders
uIeW up a somewhat similar, but
PROBABLY a less carefully considered.
document, and handed il to the British
vice Consul The acting British A gent
subsequently informed that official that
this petition could not be forwarded 10
the High Commissioner. The reasons
specified for this decision were that 10
the knowledge OF the petitioners and
Deiore the meeting was held at which
the petition was signed, the Transvasl
government had already taken steps
10 remedy the immediate grievances
complained OF, and also that the doc,.
meni had been published in the news
papers before it was delivered 10 the
vice Consul. Mr.. Conyneham Greene
evidently holds that no such obiectiops
apply to the new and more comprehen.
sIve petition Of Friday last, as he has
undertaken to transmit il to Sir Alfred
Milner IN the ordinary official course.
Tor such action as his Excellency thinks
necessary" There IS one fac,
mentioned in the petition which msv
wen exercise great influence upon his
judgment The Uitlauders have prac-
ucally no other direct means Of yentiIat-
ing their grievances at all.
by a Piquant coincidence President
Kruger declared, in a speech at Rustem.
Derg on the very day when these 2I.ooo
British Uitlanders delivered their nett.
ton to the British agent, that "people
on the Rand are satisfied with things at
present" II IS too much, we are afraid.
to hope that the petition will undeceive
him. There are none so blind as those
who do not wish to see, and the past and
present attitude OF Mr.. Kruger makes II
only too certain that his reluctance to
see the grievances OF the UitIander IS
lnvinclble. While the Govern.
ment OF the Republic turn a deaf ear To
the complaints Of the Uitlauders- II
refuses to discern the change in its own
external relations, In the Cape. its
perversitv has disgusted, and continues
to disgust, its natural friends, who are
now in Office and find themselves as
powerless to induce Mr. Kruger to
reform as ever were their rivals
VIII ne continue to disregard these
warnings until it is too late2
EaH MaH Casehe--LOndon, March 27.
The shrewd old man was given the
chance Of his lifetime by the raid, and
since then he has known how to keep
his foothold. lie will go on to the last
playing his old game, yielding such
unimportant concessions as may keen
It going, but never anything that will
really let the Outander rush i'm upon
him. Il would be indecent to pose
as amateur insurance office doctors Oh
Mr., kruger's behalf ana estimate his
expectation Of lie; but sturdy as he IS,
he IS in his 74th year, and cannot be
immortal. The Outlanders will do we'll
to remember that, and to wait for
wholesome reforms until the appearance
Of his successor.
CHARGES AGAINST THE SIRDAR FALSE.
Daid Newy-London, March q.
In the Parliamentary paper we have
Lord Cromer's and the Sirdar'a most
| exquisite res sons for the desecration OF
the Mahdi's tomb They are not con-
Urcing, and they constitute merely an
| attempt to make the best OF a bad lob.
Lord Kitchener sometimes pleads as a
Defender Of the Faith, sometimes as a
Clerk of the Works. He ordered the
destruction ofthe Mahdrs tomb, because
| it was tottering under shell fire, "and
might have caused loss Of life If left as
| II was" This is the Clerk OF the
Works, Then again, orthodox Mahom-
medans regard the Mahdi as a hereto,
and feel nothing but satisfaction at the
destruction Of all trace Of his religion.
This is the Defender Of the Faith, But
since when has it been our office TO
interfere in these family quarrelsP Il
was especially in advised in this case, as
Lord Kitchener admits that many other
Mohammedans regard the Mahdi with
peculiar veneratIon. The ugly story OF
the disposal OF the head as a present to
a relation OF Gordon is either confirmed
nor denied. As to political
necessities, surely the first Of them is to
show that, as a civilized nation, we not
only tend our enemy when wounded,
but respect his dust in death. The
Sirdar's apology makes the double
event Of his original mistake OF the act
OF desecTation
morning LsaIer-London, March %.
We thought Lord Cromer had been
asked to inquire and report upon the
grave allegations, made by many eye
witnesses, into the conduct ofthe British
and Egyptian troops after the battle OF
Omdurman. But be has been content
merely TO forward, and to endorse, the
statements Of some Of TIE accused per.
sons This may or may not be amiable,
But il is certainly not what plain men
call inquiry. The allegations, which
we're supported by the testimony not
only Of Mr.. Bennett, but also ofreluctant
or unconscious witnesses Ike Major
Gatacre and the private soldiers who
told their friends, not regretfully, o.
what they had themselves done, referred
mainly to the treatment OF the wounded
ana TO the outrage on the Mahdrs toni
and tile niahdi's body.
As for the alleged slaughter of tn,