New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-08
Tile rRANSrAAL CRISIS.

War in South Africa is possible. 1t is by no
means certain. Indeed we are not yet inclined
10 regard II az probable The most Warllhe
nevvs comes through the least trustworthy chan
nels and the most peaceful through the most
authoritative Much Will. Of course depend
upon the action Of the British Cabinet Council
which is to be held today; much, but not all.
The Pretoria Government is entirely capable or
doing as 1t pleases no matter what the British
Government may do. Perhaps the most hopeful
indication Is In the assurance that both the
Government 81 the Orange River Free state
and the leaders Of the Afrikandcr party In the
Cane Colony are cxerting their influence win
President KrHgor In favor Of peace. Their In
fnoncc with him ought 10 be great They are
fellow Beers. even If not Of the strlctest Dop-
Der persuasion, and Of their sincerity he can
have no doubts Moreover he has been reckon
ing upon an uprising ut the Cape in his behalf
II moi unon an actual alliance with that colony
against Great Britain The assurance of the
Game Prime Minister that no such aid VIII IN
anv circumstances be given should have a re-
strainiug effect upon the war party In the
Tansvaal.
Tho renlv Of the Transvaal Government to
The demands If the British Government. which
was made public yesterday, Is a shrcvd bit or
snccial nleadiDg We are not sue that II is alto
gotber Ingenious In fact. unless all reports
have been untrue its opening paragraph CON
tains q biz Of diplomatic jngglcry ~ which Me
colo Machiaveni might have been proud had
that much maligned man been one-tenth as
tricky rs repute has made him. The lransvaal
| Government refers 10 rs recent proposals 10y
(which the term for obtaining the franchise
"vras fixed AT five years and tho representation
"of the WitwaterSrand District WAS Increased.
That. il would apparently have us understand,
WAS the sole purpOrt If its offer. without any
other conditions or demands Well. if that were
so the case against Great Britain would be in
! comparably stronger than II Is. But. according
| 10 the best information AZ hand II was not the
case The proposal included something more.
to Wit demand that Great Britain should re-
lnquish all title Of suzerainty over the Trans
vaal IN foreign affairs az we'll domestic
That puts a different aspect upon the case
Without that demand. condition. II is 10 be
assumed Great Britain would instantly have ac-
ccpted the Transvaals offer. Why not since
that offer was az least equal 10 her own de-
msnds? But. saddled with that offensive and
impossible condition, she naturally and nevita
bly, rejected IT,
This in brief is the case. Great Britain
claims 10 have. and the Transvaal admits she
has. a certain suzeranty, control or superv
sion, Of the foreign relations Of the Transvaal
and nothing more The TransvaaI long ag1
promised the franchise 10 settlers Of British anf
: other outland origin but has never yet fulfilled
that promise. II admits that Great Britain ha
> right 10 demand its fuhment But it De
clines 10 fulh il unless, in return for IFS s.
doing. Great Britain VIII relnqush her super
vision. or whatever il is. over the foreign az
$ fairs of the Transvaal That is the Transyaa