The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
SOUTH AFRICA'S FUTURE.
ENGLAND ALREADY DISCUSSING
EVENTS AFTER TIE WAR.

Public Opinion Demands That the Dutch
Republics he Deprived OF Their Indo-
pondence Decentralization Under
the British Flag Their Inevitable Fate
Progress of the Hosttlitiss-Full 40
count of the Battle OF R,etfontein.
LONDON, Nov. 2o-Scrious discussion OF tho
terms Of peace rather Of the political future Of
South Africa, has now begun. In any ordinary
war such a discussion would be premature, espe-
eially on the part Of tho combatant which has up
to tho present had the worse Of the fortunes Of
But no reasonable PRISON can doubt that In
the end Great Britain will completely conquer
South Africa, and that tho terms of peaee will be
such as shs shall dictate. II Is both wise and ap
propriate. therefore, that British statesmen and
the British public should devote all the time avail
able to the consideration OF the extremely difficult
problem which will demand almost instant solu-
tion at The close Of the war.
II may BE- sad In general terms that II In tho
almost unanimous expectation of the people OF
this country that the British Government will
annex the two republics TO the empire. Upon
what conditional or, In Other words what degree
o! self-goyernment will BE- permitted, is the moot
question The British public Ia probably right
In believing that the British flag once raised in
Pretoria and Bloemfontein will never b. hauled
down again British opinion Of the delicate issues
involved in formulating a scheme Of government
for South Africa In general, and Of tho Transvnai
and Orange Free State In particular, Is of little
value, especially at the present iuncture. No
Englshman who has not studied tho dffcult
elements Of the problem on tn" spot Ia COMPETENT
TO deal with II, II Is interesting and important
however. to consider the information which Is
already coming from tho Cape bearing upon this
vital question. Tho most weightv contribution
upon this point which has vet been made public
comes from special correspondent OF tho Times
at Cape Town. His arguments are full Of interest
AMI deserve consideration, and. without any en-
dors-msnt Of his point OF view OF Of his concu-
sions, append some Of them
The ono point that all in tho country, English
and Dutch alike, are agreed on Is that the coming
settlement must he both permanent and complete,
South Africa has paid too dearly for halfHettle-
ments In tho past, This time there can be no
half settlement, shufiing of OF responsibility.
no ambiguous conventions
The time has past for peaceful schemes meant
TO help on gradually the unihcation Of South
Africa; IL has now become necessary TO show
with unmistakabo cicarncss who IA master In the
land, And there Is only one way by which that
fact can no made clear, and be fxed indeby In
the minds Of tho Dutch population Of South
Africa and OF tho native, too-and that Is by
annexation. There may have been room before
this in South Africa for peaceful autonomous
republics there room for separate
sovereign states with hostile ambitions. And
after this war. as long as there is even som,
blance OF an independent non British Govern
ment left there can be no permanent peace.
Old hopes and ambitions will continually revive,
ani tho defeats OF this war are forgotten or OK
planned away and the successes alone remembered
Opposition 10 the Empire viii always DO the one