The record-union., 1899-10-23
CAUSE FOR WAR.
BRITISH JUSTIFICATION FOR
FIGHTING THE BOERs.
War Unavoidable and Necessary,
but Will Raise No En-
thusiasm.

2lth or september, before the breaking
out of the war between Great Britain
and the Transvaal Republic. clearly set
forth the causes of the war, as follows:
During the feverish pause when
President Kruger and his Doppers are
shrinking from the responsibility OF
firing the first shot in South Africa, and
when British reinforcements are slowly
approaching Natal and the Cape, there
are screenings of heart in England over
the moral justification of a war which
may be unavoidable and necessary, but
can never excite popular enthusiasm.
The Home Secretary, Sir Matthew
White Ridley, undertook last night to
forecast the grounds on which the Cab
met would appeal for support to the
enlightened opinion Of the country if
hostilities We're to be declared. He
asserted with great emphasis that the
Government in reconsidering the situa-
ton in South Africa would not raise
the question of suzerainty nor make.
any demands outside of the conventions
of 1881 and 1884. England, if forced to
go to war with the Beers, would fight
in order to obtain redress for the just
grievances Of it's own subjects. That
certainly is the only tenable ground for
war; and it has been clearly fore
shadowed in the correspondence of Mr..
Chamberlain and Sir Alfred Miner.
Some writer's in America, / have OBJ
served, have accused Mr.. Chamberlain
of bullying the Transvaal Government
in the same spirit with which the Min
listers of George III. attempted TO
coerce the Thirteen Colonies during the
Revolutionary period. The parallel is
not good one. The American griev-
ance was taxation without representa-
ton. That is also the grievance of
the English settlers in the Transvaal.
and the British Government, if COM
PEELED to open hostilities, will fight for
the redress of that legitimate COM
plant The English speaking COM
munity in the mining district is de-
veloping the mineral resources of the
country and greatly enriching it, and
is heavily taxed without having polit-
ical rights or any representation in the
legislative bodies. Mr.. Chamberlain and
Sir Alfred Miner in protesting against
Boer injustice and intolerance and In
advocating the rights of the English
settlers have been in line with LORD
Chatham and Mr.. Fox rather than with
Lord North and the obseQuious MINIS
ters of George III. The Cabinet in re-
considering the whole situation IN
South Africa will intrench itself on higD
ground if it demands the same equality
of rights in the Transvaal which both
races enjoy in the Orange Free State
Cape Colony and Natal. The watch
word of the American Revolution,
Taxation without representation is
tyranny" can be taken up with entire
consistency by the Uitlanders and their
English champions.
BOERS' HOME RULE.
In one other respect there is sharo
divergence between the Transvaal con-
fiict and the American struggle for IN
dependence The Beers have been since
Majuba Hill in undiSputed possession
of every political privilege short OF SOW
ereignty and control over their treaty
making powers. If the same measure
of home rule had been granted to the
American patriots either before or after
Bunker Hill there would have been no
Declaration of independence and no
Yorktown. This grant of autonomy was
an act of extraordinary magnanlnllty'
since it came in the hour Of de1eat'
when an empire previously invinc1pie
had been successfully def1ed by smali
boy Of Dutch patriots. Mr.. Gladstone
had to bear the reproach or SURRENDER
ing to the Beers, and was taunted VITA
cowardice and incapacity; but the
neace which he made with the Boefs
has remained an indisputable proof or
English justice and generosity IN aeal-
ing with them. Equitably treated thefh-
selves. they have obstinately refused 10
be lust and generous in their deahnSs
with the English settlers.
The British Government, having
granted autonomy to the Beers, enforced
respect for the principle when it prose-
cuted Jameson and the officers respon-
sible for that piratical raid. 1t has re-
peatedly disclaimed during the nego-
tiations any intention Of interfering IN
the slightest degree with the indepen-
dence Of the Transvaal. Mr.. Chamber
lain's last dispatch contains the same
assurance, and the Home Secretary re-
peated it last night in his forecast OF
the Government policy. War VIII not
be made for the conquest and suplu-
CATION of governing republic, out
for the principle of equality of rights
within that State. Whether cam
paign can be brought to an end without
radical changes in the government or
the Transvaal is an open question. The
Dutch republics may emerge from
disastrous struggle with the status OF
colonies or direct dependencies of the
British crown; but self government
they will certainly retain, and repre-
sentation they will have in South
African confederation which may be
formed on Australian and Canadian
| lines Whatever may be the pledges
and disclaimers of Ministers before the
outbreak of hostilities. the trend or
events after the war is inevitable. The
Dutch will have equality of rights In
the Transvaal, the Orange Free state
and Cape Colony, but their influence
will steadily decline and a South Afrl-
can confederation with a British Gov
ernor General will be a foregone con-
clusion.
Indeed, nothing can be palmer than
the sequel to war in the Transvaal II
President Kruger and the Doppers per-
sist in neglecting the last opportunity
for making peace while they can do 1t
with dignity and honor. 1t will be the
undoing of Mr.. Gladstone's work in the
early eighties. Lord Beaconsfield and
Sir Bartle Frere planned prematurely
South African confederation and ex-
cited the just resentment of the Dutch
settlers. Mr.. Gladstone returning to
power was courageous enough to be
just to the Beers when he thought they