Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-22
ON THE VERGE OF WAR
Krugsr's Temporizing Pro-
vokes Great Britain.
REFUSED TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS.
In Turn the Transvaal Made Counter
Propositions-A High Colonial Official
Interviewed Apparently Believed War
the Only Solution.

LONDON, Aug. 22.-There is no longer
any doubt that President Kruger has
refused to submit to the demand of Mr..
court of inquiry. He may have done
SO automatically or hedgingly. But,
that his answer is regarded by the Brit
ish government as tantamount to a
positive refusal is now an established
fact The colonial office is normally
noncommittal, but there are other evil
dences which amply justify the state
ment. The report that President Kru-
ger has proposed new terms is some-
what verified. The comment of the
colonial office officials is guarded. There
| is not the slightest doubt that they be-
| lieve war is now the only way to settle
the controversy. They would far rather
have had curt defiant answer than
the temporizing reply which the Boer
| president has sent.
With the former Great Britain would
have plain grounds for Il quick COM
! mencement of hostilities. Under the
circumstances which it is believed now
exist aggressive action needs consider
able explanation to justify it in the
| eyes of the world and the English NIL
pority, who still declare that war
would be an outrage. However, if Mr..
Chamberlain has his way, it is believed
President Kruger's counter proposals
will meet with scant attention, and un-
less the Beers completely back down,
which is not likely, the crisis will
quickly develop into war.
1t is gathered that the colonial office
has been aware of the nature of the
Transvaal's reply for some days and
that it was communicated to the war
office, hence it is probable that Great
Britain will delay tine denouement as
little as possible.
A high colonial official frankly ex-
pressed his disgust at what he termed
'Kruger's cupidity and hypocrisy"
He said:
1.-The kind of game which Kruger is
playing must be clear to Americans.
The protestations of the Beers that they
wish to live Il quiet, agricultural life
may be the tune of some on the Neldt,
but the gang i'll Pretoria is simply after
money. Though President Kruger says
many harsh things of the Outlanders,
he never hesitated to make money out
of them, eithes. by fair or foul means.
''This Transvaal question cannot be
Judged by recent occurrences. You must
go back 90 years. Ithas been hanging
fire all that time. and the sooner 1t Is
settled now the better"
Though the official did not actually
say so, 1t was clear that he believed
war was the only method of settle
ment.
1t is learned that the government is
somewhat annoyed at the public's
slight interest III the Transvaal.
The official above quoted said:
''Dreyfus seems the only thing our
people think about, though England is
in most serious crisis. This indiffer
ence is perhaps typical"
A special dispatch from Cape Town
says there is great danger of an out
break of violence on the frontier, and
that the scum of Sonth Africa are en-
listing throughout the colony and are
being sent to Pitsani and Jameson, On
the border.
CAPE Town, Aug. 22.-Sunday was
observed throughout the Orange Free
State and Cape Colony with humilia-
tion, prayer and sermons advocating
peaceful solution of the crisis. Mr..
Snytler, a leading Dutch reform
preacher here, referred to the close ties
uniting the Cape Dutch to those of the
Transvaal, which, he added, were MEM
bers of the great Afrikander family. If
war was declared, he asserted, Great
Britain would commit a "heinous
crime before God and man, resulting in
civil war in Cape Colony"
There is evidence of growing uneasi-
ness at Johannesburg. Great crowds
gather at tine railroad station, express
ing disapproval at the departures for
Cape Colony and Durham, Natal.