The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-21
AFFAIRS In ALASKA
NEXT TO THE FIASCO IN THE
TRANSVAAL THEY INTEREST
THE AVERAGE BRITON
MoDUs vIvENDI Is URGED
of That Sort Should Be Agreed
Upon Until Commission Can Adj
just Difference at Stake-Tr0ubIe
In Transvaal subsiding - Con-
scription for England.


Copyright by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, May 2O.-The fate of the
Anglo-American-Can commission is
naturally regarded here as matter of
great Importance, and the various rumors
and reports on the situation attract much
attention. A dispatch from Washington
to the effect, that the resumption of the
commissions labors depends upon set
tlement of the Alaskan boundary dispute,
has been prominently disputed in this
city, and a representative of the Associat-
ed Press made inquiries at the center of
the negotiations in London. From an I'M
impeachable source he obtained the fol-
lowing statement:
1.-The nature Of the Alaskan question
makes it possible that on the resumption
of the commission it will be withdrawn
from discussion, to be taken up later If
question, in fact, has practically been
dropped out of the discussion, and the
statement that the settlement will be
made the sine qua non Of the resumption
of the sittings of the commission Is in
accurate"
The representative of the Associated
Press has been informed that the matter
has been discussed with great concilia-
ton on both Sides The newspapers here
complain that the Alaskan question is
becoming acute at a time when the rela-
tons between the two countries are be-
coming more and more friendly, and the
announcement of the resumption of the
commission would give great satisfaction.
The Globe, commenting on the sending
Of American troops to Alaska, says:
Pending the meeting of the commits
sion the first step to be taken before an
actual agreement is. reached would be to
arrange a modus vivendi, and no time
should be lost in doing this, as the sit
uation is likely, to become complicated,
with conflict that would make the final
settlement NOR difficult than ever"
TRANSVAAL FIZZLE.
The great johannesburg plot against the
Transvaal Is characterized as having flz-
Zled out like. a damp f1re-cracker. 1t is
claimed that the Boer organs first at
tempted to magnify the affair into an
other Jameson raid, but now have aban-
doned the attempt in despair. 1t is fur
Their asserted that the men arrested com
prised q couple of Boer agents, who are
said to have engineered the whole scheme
The remainder of the prisoners are de-
scribed by the Times Johannesburg cor
respondent as a "set of honest, but drunk
en- wastrels,' whose object was only to
prepare for protection against possible
BOer violence IN case OIL war Inc ponce
are believed to be responsible for the
discovery of the conspiracy. Nobody
thinks that President Kruger knew any
thing of the Matching of the affair, as he
is looked upon as being too shrewd not
to see a hasco.
An interesting insight into Boer met
hods was given in report that most
of the barmaids at Johannesburg receive
handsome rewards from the Beers secret
service fund for spying upon customers
Much Importance is attached to the
coming meeting between Sir Alfred Mil
ner, the British high commissioner of
South Africa, and governor of Cape Col
ony and President Kruger, at Bloomfon-
tein, capital Of the Orange Free State
There is general anticipation that Sir
Alfred Miner has been instructed by
Joseph Chamberlain, secretary of state
for the colonies, to put forth certain de-
mands in the shape of concessions to the
Uitlanders, In form practically amount
ing to an ultimatunn. and that the Beers
will be required to accept and carry out
the British demands within specified
period, or the Transvaal will be occupied
by British troops. :
Uitlanders who have just returned from