The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-18
Government Not Prepared to
Lay Five Years Franchise
Law Before VoIksraad.
NEVER MADE SUCH AN OFFER
CONSIDERS SUCH MEASURE UNNEC-
ESS-4RY AND UNDESIRABLE.
Hint That British Agent at Pretoria
slider Acceptance of British Demands
asa PreCedent-COmplatns That Sub
jects to be Discussed Mt Proposed Joint
Conference Are Not ID efned-A Gloomy
Outlook,

Conference Are Not d fined-A Gloomy
Outlook,
Pretoria, Sept. 1.-THE reply of the
government of the South African repub-
lie to the latest despatch, dated Sep
tember II, of the British secretary of
state for the colonies, Joseph Chamber
lain, after acknowledging the receipt of
the British note, proceeds in part as
follows:
The government deeply regrets the
withdrawal, as the government under
stands it, of the invitation contained in
the British despatch of August "a ana
the substitution. in place thereof, of an
entirely new proposal.
THE proposals, now fallen through,
contained In the Transvaal dispatches
OF August 19 and August 81, were elic-
tied from this government by sugges-
tions made by the British diplomatic
agent in Pretoria (Conyngham Greene)
to the Transvaal state secretary IF. w.
Reitz) suggestions which this govern
ment acted upon in good faith and af-
ter specially ascertaining whether they
would be likely to prove acceptable to
titG I1lllloA SOVCIItlllSHl. lIlo 5ONclU-
ment by no means has any intention to
raise again needlessy the question of
its political status, but acted with the
sole object of endeavoring by the aid of
the local British agent to put an end to
the strained condition of affairs.
This was done in the shape of pro-
posal which this government deems,
both as regards it's spirit and form. to
be so worded as, relying upon intima-
tions to this government, would satisfy
Her Majesty's government. This gov
ernment saw a difficulty as to the ac-
oeptance of those proposals by
the people and legislature of
the Transvaal and also contemplated
possible dangers connected Herewith,
but risked making them on account of
a sincere desire to secure peace and be-
cause assured by Mr. Chamberlain that
such proposals would not be deemed a
refusal of his proposals, but would be
settled on their merits.
"As regards the joint commission the
Transvaal answers to the acceptance Of
the invitation thereunto given by Her
Majesty's government, and cannot un-
derstand why such commission, which |
before was deemed necessary to explain
the complicated details of the seven
years law should now be deemed un-
necessary and why 1t should now
without such inquiry, be thought pos
sible to declare this law Inadequate
Further there must be a misappre-
hension If it be assumed that this gov
was prepared to lay prosposals
for a fiye-years franchise and a quar-
4 -
ton before the Volksraad for uncondi-
tional acceptance. AS to the language,
this government never made any offer
such as is referred to- considering, as 1t
did. such measure both unnecessary
and undesirable.
s.The proposed conference, as distinct
from the joint commission of inquiry,
this government is likewise not unwil-
ing to enter upon; but the difficulty is
hat an acceptance thereof is made de-
nendent upon the acceptance, on the
side of the TransvaaI, Of precedent con-
litions which this government does not
EEL at liberty to submit to the Volks-
,aad, and, moreover, the subjects to be
discussed at the conference remain un-
lefned. This government ardently de-
;ires and gladly accepts abitration, as
is final intention is to adhere to the
erms of the London convention of
8S4."
The despatch concludes by trusting ID
hat the British government, on recon-
alteration may not deem 1t fit to make
more onerous or new proposals, but will
adhere to Great Brtain's proposal for
Joint commission in inquiry as pre-
7iously explained by the secretary Of /
tate for the colonies to the imperial
LONDON P1PERS PESSIMISTIC.
,eneral Opinion That War with Trans
vaaI Is Now Inevitable.