The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-03

49, AuoIC4IOuSs Al 8ltoBetuet
(O1 new phase seems to have come
over the Transvaal crisis. The
tables have been turned. and now
1t II Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. the sscre-
tary Of state for the colonies. who pro-
poses further conferences. In this and
other respects the official negotiations pre-
sent . more pacific aspect than last week.
But. with the bare exception OF these ne
gotiatioAs. every other circumstance points
to war. Whether. a. has been suggested
in these dispatches. higher powers than
Mr.. Chamberlain have intsrfered In the In
terests Of peace. or whether the secretary
has taken leaf out Of the book Of presi-
dent Kruger, oe the Transvasl. meaning
'procrastination." can scarcely b deter.
mined At this stage. II II also possible.
} though hardly probable. that tho unsx-
pected opposition and disansction Of ths
Dutch and descendants Of the Dutch OF
Br!ttsh South Africa, acutely sv1nced this
week. may have stayed the mailed hand"
Merely . Pesos Oass.
The simpbest solution, however. Of these
latest Developments which puzsls mono
more than Mr.. Chambcriain's out-and-out
supporters. - that the extrems smiability
and long suffering paradcd In this last
British proposal y aessly peace of3srins
wleshs hsVseuoo10sencr such steps -
these make war more righteous. and eng
iish wars. though usually resulting In A.
grandizemsnt. must nrst be righteous to Be
popular. especially with the Eonconform-
.st conscience and element, and Mr.. Cham
berlain II not Z dsspiser Of this fact for
etr
be propit.aied. The continental press with
few exceptions recognizes the fairness OF
tho English claims In tho Transvaai, ard
President Kruger knows he can expect no
outside aid. except perhaps In the most
Indirect way from Rusxa. The spirit
evincsd yesterday by the Petit Journal. OF
Paris. certainly does not voice the spirit
Of France. which is usually compacest
over the English structures prompted by
tho Dreyfus case. The Journal depiorss
the fact that the event OF war between
Great Britain and tho Transvsai and inter-
nal dlsorgan.zation prevented France from
attacking Great Britain and aysnging the
FashodA humiliation.
IL All Rests with Kruger.
All in all. putting the official formslitiss
ard secondary issues aside. the Transvaai
crisis. under the surface. seems not TO 5e
greatly changed, and the settlement attn
lies In Kruscr'a hands. Whether he com.
pleiely surrenders. openly defes or further
cvades, sime alone will show
The present crisis shows . radical
change In the diplomatic methods Of the
secretary Of state for the colonies. Mr..
Chamberlain. In the negotiations follow
Ing the Jameson raid Mr.. Chamberlain
was properly criticised for the novel and
indiscreet procedure Of publishing dIpio-
matte notes before they had time 90
reach the persons to whom they were ad-
dressed. Now the public here ls left In
the dark until tho publication OF the
mutiIated dispatches from Pretoria forces
the colonial office TO issue correct ver-
sions.
The Transvaal dispatches OF August 10
and q and the reply Of the impartial gov
ernmen, OF August -. the text OF which
Was Published last evening. except that
they emphasize the contrast between the
heat OF Mr. Chamheriains last public
speech and the moderation and concsIia-
tory tone OF the dispatches. add iitiis TO
the essentials of the situation.
President Kruger. os the Transvsai re-
public. has practically offered to concsds
the demands ~ air Alfred Miinsr. IRE
governor ~ Cape Colony and British
high commissioner % South Africa. re-
ssrding the question ~ franchise. hut
only on condition cs getting impossible
concessions eono~rrsiss surera.n,y.
Sir Alfred. in his conference with shs