The times., 1899-11-05
a HOSTILE VIEW OF KRUGER.
tncomPhmentary Description of
Dom Paul by an EnEIishman.
- d. LonI.n -

ltrom the LoudaH NfiI5
Does he ever wash is the first tbourbt
when one enters the presence. Does h.
ever do anything but smoke and drink COZ
fee and SPITE
II is very early i'm the morning. not vet
D, he is seated on the stoep lporeb1 as r,go
soldiers announce your name Already bs
las listened to the morning paper rsad t1
him by that notorious person. Colonel Fer
reira.
You mark the heavy iowI The Semitic
nose. the broad iEsjncerity OF the blue eve
me thin white hair greasjIy aowing In
folds, with anxious eudeayor TO conceal the
dirty circle OF coat collar.
Again you wonder does he ever wash
The heavy figure of a Lincolnshire farm
er is clad in decoyed black. Loose Hapoiug
coat. a high butJoued waisteoat. the wide
uat-fronted trousers. all bear the marks OF
colee. tobacco juice and wear. Most ex-
traordinary of all. verging on the gro
teSque. is he when adorned with the green
friendly society
There is no majesty. there is no great
ness, there is nothing attractive the force
OF character is net apparent He does 1ot
speak to you; he roars at You. His fCrci-
bic remarks are puDctudted by res0undiag
blows on his knee or on the unlucky in
terpreter. whichever comes handy. The
teFTor Of his bellowings occasionally re-
leases the brown pipestem from the clutch
Of brCwner teeth
The humor Of the man is irascible. the
manner overbeariug. Years OF absolute
governing and enormous wealth have en-
gendered an intoleraut spirit of domiueer-
ing Were he not q President De might
nave succeeded as n philosopher. With
all the vices OF Epictetus, he lacks many
Of his virtues. An arrogant appearance OF
humility consciously parades all the rugged
independence Of a fakir 10 the leader Of a
Republic. Since he cannot dazzle he at
tempts to inspire a super5titiCus awe. and
too little to appear great in the ordinary
habit and manner OF man, he magniaes
himself by increasing his idicsyncrasies
and propagates his character by the force
Of his pecuIiarities.
The contemplation of the man himself
though unpleasant. is necessary to estimate
the enormous influence he till now has
possessed. A European statesman may act
up to his part-he seldom dresses down 10
il. The old millionaire of Pretoria knows
the value of affecting rusticity in appear
auee, and secures by it many vote al
ready half persuaded by the judicious dis
tribution of dole and Office.
His public complaint has always been TO
be let alone" and having ingenuously OBJ
tanned that modest immunity. he erects on
It right to nom interference, and has for
years boldly put forth a claim FOR absolute
independence.
In the Israelites of old he finds Drofo-
type for his people in the possession Of their
Promised Land h5mmed round by the ever
!ntruding Philistines-hi himself by turns a
noses or an Aaron, making Law ard dis
missing his chief justice or officiating iu
the high place at the Holy Communion
That secret service fund he established
ana supported by grants cf state moneys.
and wisely commenced vita the members
Of the executive. who alone had ans con
troll over the application of the fund A
Jealous student of history. he drew in
spiration from WaipoIe's system of con
science money, and strengthened his posi-
non by pulling the State EussestriRss for
the benefit Of powerful supporters.
Even the secret service fund has pro
duced more enemies than friends The
Dutch in Cape Colony are unrizEteous "
indignant at the scauty re-osn tioa of
their poverty
In view OF the approaching end of the
corrupt republic, il is amusing to re-
member that il was but a few moons ago
Dr. Leyds paid State SeeF5 5taFiaI v sit to
Albuquerque, at Deiasoa Bay. The nom
inal subject was native labor for the mines.
the real object BOer port, ard the South
African Republic as a naval power
Did not Albuquerque return that visit
with even greater state2 Was he not
lodged and fed by the State a. the Grand
Hotel at Pretoria?
Was it not Paul Kruger who at that ever
to be remembered luncheon lifted his glass
TO his natural ally, Portugal? What hopes
then engendered are now dashed forever,
The decline Of his authority presag s his
natural dissolution, and when the last page
is turned what can he say If he has been
the genius of his country. he has been the
political tarantula of South Afri a.