The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-30


It Is too brief TO give an adsquatp idea OF
the Transvaai's attitude, the impression
II produced was rather favorable than
otherwise. The cabinet meeting closed at
O'Clock.
The Pail Mall Gazstte says IL under
stands that MIR. Chamberlain submitted n
despatch 10 the cabinet council today con-
tanning the following demands ON the
Transvaais
Five years. franchise quail toation
without hampering conditions.
2--Munioipal ssif-government at Johan-
nesburg on freely elected basis.
s-The separation of the judiciature
from the executive and It's Independence
Of the Volksraad.
4-The abolition OF the dynamite mono
poly.
johannesburg, though the defenses at
Pretoria may remain.
e-The teaching of the English language
Ia the schools.
The press association says this even ing:
parliament which will be summoned
by royal proclamation is expected to re-
assemble In about three weeks. The gov
approval by the Legislature OF the policy
now being pursued in south Africa ss
well as the necessary financial legisln-
tion"
The premier and most of the cabinet
ministers returned home after the coun.
oil.
1t was said this evening that the batch
of south African cablegrams received
at the colonial Office this morning did not
contain President Kruger's reply as sup
posed, but referred to other matters. The
cabinet, therefore. was unable to discuss
the reply.
Significance Is attached to the fact that
Mr.. A. J. Balfour was In conference with
Lord Rothschiid at Downing street at Il
o'clock.
A despatch to the Times from Pretoria,
says; ''It is generally expected that a
state of war will be proclaimed ut any
moment. President Kruger granted
me an interview today and declared he
had done all possible for the sake of
peace. He had accepted Mr.. Chamber
lain's own offer Of common inquiry,
but Mr.. Chamberlain deliberately broke
the negotiations. troops were massed
on all sides and war was forced upon
him. 1t was impossible to sccede to the
despatch of the 18th. Such course
would have given the land and the peo-
pie into the hands of strangers. As IL
was, his seven years. proposition would,
according to the field comets books en-
franchise $4,000 persons. which was more
than the whole number OF the old hurgh-
ers. yet not one had come forward to take
1t. The Outlanders never really wanted
the franchise. FROM the first they refused
to become commanders and registered
themselves as aliens. Afterwards, LORD
Loeb secured exemption for them on the
same terms as the Portuguese. He wished
to Indignantly deny Mr.. Chamherlain's
charge that he had broken his promise
made during the discussion preceding the
Pretoria convention of 1881, that he
would treat new immigrants equally with
the old burghers. He had always been
ready to treat them SO and they had al
ways refused.
"In conclusion, I asked II there was
still possibility of peace.
" No. he replied after pause, unless
the other side will do something to make
peace possible /"
MAY BE INTERVENTION.
st. Petersburg. September 29.-Dis-
cussing the attitude of Germany In re-
gard to the Transvaal CRIES, She Roesia
says:
lit is still an open question as to
wheth er Russian diplomacy. on the basis
of The Hague conference. may not make
the experiment. Of recommending that
Great Britain and the TransvaaI have
recourse to court of arbitration. In
view of the hostile feeling against Great
Britain 1t is very possible that numerous
volunteers from Europe win go to the aid
of the Beers as Russian volunteers aide d
Servia. Ii Great Britain attempts to
prevent such movement, Russia, per-
haps, will speak decisive word"