Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-22
WAR WITH THE Beers
Now Regarded as Certainty by British
Foreign Office.
President Kruger's Temporizing An
swers Arouse the Wrath of Of
hcfaIs I'm London.

a dispatch from London last night says:
There is longer any doubt that Presi-
dent Kruger has refused to submit to the
demand of Mr.. Chamberlain for the ap-
pointment of court of inquiry. He may
have done so diplomattcally or hedgingiy.
But that his answer is regarded by the
British government as tantamount to pos
| tive refusal is now an established fact
| The colonial office is normally non-commit-
| tai. but there other evidences which
amply justify the statement. The report
| that President Kruger has proposed new
terms is somewhat verified by the guarded
comment of the colonial office officials and
the irritability displayed there
There is not the slightest doubt that they
believe war is now tn only way to settle
the controversy. TIL; v 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 a quick COM
mencement Of hoStiiities.
Under the circumstances which it is be-
| lieved now exist aggressive action needs
considerable explanation to justify 1t in the
eyes Of the world and the English minority.
who still declare that war would be al out
rage.
BOers Must Back Down.
However, If Mr.. Chamberlain has his way
| it is believed President krugers counter
| proposals will meet with scant attention.
| and unless 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 Trans
walls reply for some days. and that it was
communicated to the office, hence it is
| probable that Great Britain will delay the
denouement as little possible
A high colonial official frankly EXPRESSED
| to a representative of the Associated Press
| his disgust at what he termed ''Kruger's
cupidity and hypocrisy" He said:
The kind of game which Kruger is play
| ing must be clear to Americans. The
| protestations of the Beers that they wish to
| Ave quiet agricultural life may be the
| tune of some Of the veldt but the gang
| in Pretoria is simply after money. Though
| President Kruger says many harsh things
| of the outlanders. he never hesitated to
make money out of them, either by fair
! foul means.
| This Transvaal question cannot be
| judged by recent occurrences. You must
| go back fifty years. 1t has been hanging
| fire all that time. and the sooner it is set
tied now the better.
! Wnr the Only Recourse.
| Though the official did not actually say
so, it was clear that he believed war was
| the only method of settlement.
| 1t is learned that the government is some
what annoyed at the publics slight interest
| in the Transvaal. The official above quoted
| said to the Associated Press representative:
| ''Dreyfus seems the only thing our people
| think about, though England is in a most
| serious crisis. This Indifference is perhaps
| typical.
| A special dispatch from Cape Town says
| there is great danger of outbreak OF vio-
| lence on the frontier. and that the scum of
South Africa are enlisting throughout the
| colony and are being sent to PitSani and
jameson, on the border.
Sunday was observed throughout the
Orange Free State and Cape Colony with
humiliation, prayer and sermons advocat-
ing a peaceful solution of the crisis. Mr..
Snytler. "a leading Dutch Reform preacher
at Cape Town, referred to the close ties
uniting the Cape Dutch to those OF the
Transvaal which, he added, were members
of the great Afrikander family. If war
We're declared. he asserted. Great Britain
would commit a ''henouS crime before God
and man, resulting in civil war in Cape
Colony.
tneasiness at johannesburg.
There is evidence of growing uneasiness
at Johannesburg. Great crowds gather at
| the railroad station. expressing disapproval
at the departures for Cape Colony and
Durham. Natal.
The Neuesten Nachrichten of Berlin pub
publishes the following dispatch from Pre-
toria: President Kruger a few days ago
to holding official reception. In the
course of the ceremony he prayed that il
war were unavoidable, God might find right
and truth on the side of the Afrikanders''
According to Afrikander reports, the
TranSVaaIS reply is counter proposal of
a five years retrospective franchise in the
election of the president and an Increased
representation 1t is said that the sugges-
ton is made to submit all other differences
to arbitration.