The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-08


! excitement in the volksraad to-day on
Mr.. Coetzer's Interpolation of the gov
ernment regarding the presence Of
British troops on the borders and The
stoppage of ammunition consigned TO
! the Trapsvaal
President Kruser. the members Of
| the executive council and most of the
! pilhelpal oticlals were present, to-
| sether with large representation of
| the general public. including MANY
! iadles. At the outset the chairman and
president urged members to preserve
calmness and to avoid insulting lam
I guage.
Inc state secretary, F. w. Reitz, said
ne naa called the previous day on the,
britlsh diplomatic agent Conyngham
Green. and asked him what reply the
government could give in the voIksraad
regarding the alleged massing Of Brit
lsh troops on the borders and whether
Mr.. Green would communicate with the
biltlSh nigh commissioner, Sir Alfred
Miner. The reply from Mr.. Green, he
tonlLuueu had been received this morn
ing and was in the following terms:
Dear Mr.. Reitz: The following ia
Sir Alfred Miners reply to the teIe-
gram which ! sent him at your re-
quest:
do not know to what Mr.. Reitz
fefers when he alludes to the massinp
OF troops This must be the Rritisf,
troops in South Africa. the nosition
ana numbers of which are no secret
OUT IL ls matter of common knowl-
cage tnat they are here in order to pro-
tect British interests and to make pro
VISION against eventualities
Mr., Coetzer and other members made
hos
could not understand Sir Alfred Mil
ner's reply, as the Transvaal has never
threatened the English colonies,
1T is time" exclaimed Mr.. Coetxer.
Tor the Iransvaal also to prepare for
eventualities."
One member said: "England's action
Is like putting a revolver in mans
face"
Another concluded warlike haran-
que in this strain:
1t is time to send our burghers TO the
borders to ask these troops what thev
want. The fire is bound to start. So
let them light it and allow it to burn
"ut quickly war is better than the
present state OF affairs. Business is
ruined and the public treasury is dry
ing up. Chamberlain is trying to ruin
the country
These speeches and others attacking
Cecil Rhodes were loudly applauded bv
'iic mouse ana DS the public.
The debate continued throuxhout the
afternoon. Mr. Tosen, who declared
that Sir Alfred Miners reply was tan
tamount to declaration of war. read
telegram from the field cornet of the
Pleterieitief district stating that the
people there would rise in rebellion If
President Kruger went to another con
ference
The chairman called Mr.. Tosen 10
order for saying that the Jameson
raiders ought to have been hanged
j. NJ. A Wotmarens. one of the
non-official members of the Legislative
council. counseled prudence and eau
tioh; he SAID 1t would be wise for the
raad to decide whether the republic !
should concede further negotiation or !
not. ''9 VI
President Kruger rising, said The |
aliens have been offered equal rights
with the burRhers. but have refused |
mem; Mr.. Chamberlain is striving to
get the franchise. which the outlsnders
do not want; but what he really de-
slres is possession of the TransvaaL
The burshers are willing to coucede
much for the sake of peace, but will
never sacrifice their independence"
After eulogiEinS Mr.. Gladstone's ac-
tion of retrocession in 1881 as a noble
deed. President Kruger said that IL If
now came to fighting, the Almighty
would be the arbitrator. He urged the |
members of the raad to show rnoders-
tion, reminding that the reply from |
Mr. chamberlain was en- route and |
pointing out if the proposals for n
were agreed to the republic
would send delegates to further DIS
cuss matters and, if possible to make
peace.
The speeches following the presidents
were more moderate in tone and the
raad rose without passing any resolu-
ton.
In the course of the debate Mr.. Du-
toit insinuated that Mr.. Chamberlain
was intoxicated on the occasion of his
recent famous garden party speech"
at Highburg, his Birmingham resi-
lence, and he added that if Mr.. Cham
leTlain continued to act as he had been
acting. the Transvaal would give him
'Mauser pills" which would be a good
ourgative. He urged the house not to
De frightened by the show of sending