The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-08
ENGLISHMEN ON
THE B0ER WAR
s.4-a-aa-s
A Variety Of Opinions on the Merits
of the Present Conflict.
a-ra-asru
FOUR PROMINENT LEADERS
The Majority Take the Position That
the TrunsyaaI Forced the Fight and
England Has No Cause to Blush.
FOUR PROMINENT LEADERS
Philadelphia Times.

I
Arthur j, Balfour. First Lord Of III,
Treasury.
The controversy which may be- sal,
TO have begun on the morrow Of th'
signing Of the convention OF 1851. h0l
now reached tho stage when nm appca
is made 20 arms, know no, whal
other people may feel, but confess
that 90 me. ns n member OF the gov
ornmcnt. aa one Of those directly re
sponnltlc Tor the conduct of the nego
tiatlons which have now terminated
l regard this unhappy close Of them
With considerable feeling.
There was II time when doubts were
expressed as 30 the conduct OF the de.
tails Of the negotiations, and when
there was not the clear conviction
which now exists as to the true merits
OF the case which now has 10 be de-
cded by the nrbitrament OF foroe but
the more the public has known OF what
We have done and what We have aimed
at. tho longer their opportunity has
been Tor studying the methods OF the
government Of Pretoria. the greater
opportunities given them OF really
forming a clsar judgment Of the Issue
which Is to b. decided. the more they
have como round 10 the view that the
government. n they have erred. have
crrcd on the side of patience, and that
w far from being warton proyokers Of
unnecessary war. the criticisms that
have been passed upon us are that We
have hoped with too firm a hope. and
desired with too cffectiyd desire that.
II possible. this great controversy
might have been decided without blood
shed.
We have had war forced upon Us be-
cause We desired to sec established
that state Of things under which Qlone
peace is possible In South Africa, a
state ot things not only inconsistent
with personal ana political freedom.
hut which is Intimately bound up with
those great causes and, indeed pri.
marly depends upon them | know
not ! will frankly add do not much
care what Judgment Do passed IN this
matter upon Us by those who perhaps
have not the opportunity, and perhaps
have not the inclination. to judge us
as nation fairly.
II IL enough :or me that England
has been forced into It's present position
against It's viii. and that each forward
step has been taken reluctantly, and
In obedience to an overmastering ne
cesslty. and that now that the pros
pects Of peace are finally destroyed,
now that evm those whose patience
seemed lncxhausible have had this NO.
luton pressed upon them nov that
war with all its consequences, all ltsl
loss ~ life. all It's destruction " prop
erty. all the suffering inevitable in
any war Is upon US, we. at Ill events,
can say that We have never asked for
but justice. We have never
desired anything but freedom. that all
we have longed for Is the equality un-
der the Transvaal Republic towards
men OF our race and OF our speech
which we freely and equally give TO,
men Of Dutch race and Dutch speech
in the nelghborins colonies and that
II they think 1t worth while to imperl
their future In order to refuse these
rights to men Of our race and Of our
speech. at all events blame rests on
them and not upon this country and
we can at all events feel that what
even We have to go through before this
war be brought to It's final, conclusive
and successful issue, the sacrifices
that we shall be called upon to make
are sacrifices in the interest Of the
rights of men and of civilization,