Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-22
GRAVE SIGNS OF WAR.
South African Preachers Are
Preaching of the Probability
of Fight Pretty Soon.
KRUGER MENTIONS IT IN PRAYER,

While the London Omcials Have - lived
the Boer Reply to Chamberiains Last
Proposal, 1t Is Reported, and Find 1t
Entirely Insufficient-An Against Drey-
fus Were the witnesses at Rennes-
Prisoner Makes a Long Statement, for
Him.
Cape Town, Aug. 22.-Sunday was
observed throughout the Orange Free
State and Cape Colony with humilia-
tion, prayer and sermons advocating d
peaceful solution of the crisis. Mr..
Snytler, a leading Dutch Reform
preacher here, referred to the close ties
uniting the Cape Dutch to those of the
Transvaal which, he added, were mem
bers of the great Afrikander family. If
war was declared, he said, Great Brit
ain would commit "heinous crime be-
fore God and man, resulting in civil
war in Cape Colony"
Berlin, Aug. 22.-The Neuste Mach
richten publishes the following dis
patch from Pretoria: President Kru-
ger a few days ago personally con-
Quoted church service prior to hold
ing an official reception. In the course
of the ceremony he prayed that if war
were unavoidable God might find right
and truth on the side of the Afri-
handlers"
Kruger Rejects an Inquiry.
London, Aug. 22.-There is no longer
any doubt that Kruger has refused to
submit to the demand of Chamberlain
for the appointment of a court of in
quiry- He may have done so diplo-
matically or hedgingly. But that his
answer is regarded by the British gov
ernment as tantamount to a positive
refusal is now an established fact. The
colonial Office is normally non-com-
initial, but there are other evidences
which amply justify the statement.
The report that Kruger has proposed
new terms is somewhat verified by the
guarded comment of the colonial Office
officials and the irritabnity displayed
there.
War Alone Can Settle 1t.
There is not the slightest doubt that
they now believe war is the only way
&c settle the controversy. They would
far rather have had curt defiant
answer than the temporizing answer
which the Boer president has sent.
However, if Chamberlain has his way
it is believed Kruger's counter pro-
posals will meet with scant attention,
and unless the Beers completely back
down, which is not likely, the crisis
viii quickly develop into war IT has
developed that the war Office has been
aware of the nature of the Transvaal
governments answer for several days,
and that it was communicated to the
war Office: hence il is probable that
Great Britain wilt delay the depoue-
ment as little as possible.
Opinion of n High Ohicirf.
A high colonial official expressed to
4 representative of the Associated
Press his disgust at what he termed
''KTugers cupidity and hypocrisy" He
said: The protestations of the Beers
that they wish to live a quiet agri-
cultural life may be the tune of some
on the veldt, but the gang in Pretoria
is simply after money. Though Pres
ident Kruger says many harsh things
of the outlanders he never hesitated TO
make money out of them, either by
fair or foul means. This Transvaal
question cannot be judged by recent
occurrences. You must go back fifty
years. II has been hanging fire all that
time. and the sooner it is settled now
the better"