Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-15
Mistellaneults &eading.
THE TRANSVAAL RULER.

What Has Made "Oom Paul. the Unique
Character He Is-spoken of by His Own
People as "The Lion of Rustenburg."
From history of the Transvaal re.
Gently published by Mr.. Van Oordt
state historian of the South African
Republic, the New York Sun has con-
densed some interesting matter relat.
ing to the personality of the Boer pres.
ident:
"The founder of the family was q
certain Jacob Kruger, who arrived at
Cape Town in 1713 as youth of II, in
the service of the Dutch East India
company. Jacob Kruger was Ger.
man. A descendant of his, Casper
Kruger, married and settled on the Blu.
hoek farm, near Colesburg, in Cape
Colony. 1t was there that Stephanus
Johannes Paul Kruger was born on Oc.
tober 10, 1925. While still quite q
child he had to help his parents, in his
ninth year sometimes acting as shep-
herd, and even leading the oxen yoked
in the wagon. Later, when yet too
small to handle the heavy musket OF
the period, be went after game with
bow and arrows, and returned to the
farm house with many hare and par
fridge.
"Then ca ne the trek into Natal
and be went out into the wilderness to
begin a life of toll, care and danger.
That was the school in which he was
reared and in which he was trained TO
he what he is. He received his hap.
tism of fire in battle with the Matabele
before the occupation of Vechtkop,
and took part in the repulse of the
Zulus in the attack on the Iaager which
followed the massacre at Weenen, in
Natal. At 1S he became assistant field
cornet, and two years later attained
full rank. Later on he served as COM
mandant and commandant general,
was one of the Trumvirate during the
war of independence Gn 1SS0.'S3,) and
has been president since the retroces-
sion of the territory of the Republic
by Great Britain to its own govern
ment. By his people he is spoken OF
as the Lion of Rustenburg.
"Although a republic, the centrali'
zation of administration in the Trans.
vaal is such that nothing can be done
without the consent of the executive
council. The consequence is that bus
mess is often months in arrears. Mr..
Van Oordt admits the evil of this and
agrees with the contention of the
Volksraad, that more power should be
delegated to the head officials of the
government. President Kruger, how
ever, is most strongly opposed to this,
believing it would be dangerous in a
young state circumstanced as the
Transvaal is to entrust the govern
ment wholly to officials. BE trust.
worthy, but trust no one,' is the presi-
dents life motto, which he often
quotes, and which is, according to his
friends, the plain wisdom of Paul Kru'
ger. 1t is, says Mr.. Van Oordt, the
simple philosophy of man who
shrinks from no duty, but only fears
and doubts whether others will do
theirs.
"The personal habits of President
Kruger are extremely simple. He new
er takes strong drink himself; but has
said that he believed God gave man
strong drink to use, and that there is
no harm in its moderate use. AL.
though fairly wealthy he likes the or
dinary life of well-to-do Afrikander,
iudulging neither in ostentation nor
festivities. To poor burghers he mas
lent money without any security,
knowing as he said, that they were
honorable men. In character, Dom
Paul is stiff neck ked-obstinate, some
say-and full of hardihood. This
quality he has displayed on many &C.
casions. During the war of independ-
ence, with only a small escort, he rode
into the kraal of a Kaffir chief who
was making trouble for the Beers, and
though he ran great risk of being at
tackled, seized him by the neck. The
result of the interview, begun under
such unusual circumstances, was that
the chief remained quiet during the
rest of the war.
"While still a youth his gun, which
he had overloaded in order to make
sure of rhinocerous he was hunting,
burst and shattered the top of his left
thumb. Before he could get assistance
the wound began fostering, for he was
far distant from surgical help, and
threatened modification. He there
upon amputated the thumb at the first
finger joint with pocketknife; but,
finding the operation insufficient, he
cut the second joint, after which the
hand healed. AS his biographer says :
The man who could do this is not the
man to be easily frightened. Many
stories are told illustrating his strength
of will and endurance, of racing con-
tests with Kaffirs lasting whole day,
and his personal strength in struggles
with animals.
"As to his place in history Mr. Van
Oordt says Paul Kruger has been
compared with Washington, with Lin
coin and even with Ulysses and Bluch.
er. and many other illustrious histori-