The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-16


the Present Time-Great britain
VIII Not Listen to Propositions
Such as Are Said to Be Contained
in the Reply Being Prepared by
the TransvanI President.
LONDON, Sept. ia dispatch from
Pretoria says:
1.-THE Transvaal's reply will be on the
following lines:
1.-The Transvaal adheres to the seven
year franchise proposition, but is will
ing to consider and, if necessary, adopt
any suggestions that Great Britain may
make in regard to the working Of the
law. In regard to the main points OF
Mr. Chamberlains dispatch the Trans
vaal boldly stands by the London con-
vention
1T is said the reply is couched in po-
lite terms.
state Secretary ReitZ, in the course
of an interview today, expressed some
doubt as to whether any alteration would
be made in the existing franchise law,
but said he believed a way should and
could be found to establish an arbitra-
ton court. AS to suzerainty, The least
said the soonest mended, remarked the
state secretary
In the forecasts Of President Krugers
reply there is undoubtedly a large basis
of truth which seems to bring the dis
pute within measurable distance of war.
Last evening the press association issued
curious statement to the effect that as
soon as the garrison in Natal had been
sufficiently strengthened the TransVaal
government would be called upon to ac-
cept a new convention, already drafted,
which, while guaranteeing the integrity
of the Transvaal state, provides for the
demolition of the forts and limits the
armed force of the Transvaal to what Is
deemed sufficient to maintain internal
order According to the press associa-
ton the convention will demand that the
diplomatic agencies be suppressed, and
the judiciary be made independent of the
executive.
This statement which realizes the ex
IRENE demands of the outlanders must
be accepted under reserve at the present
stage, but it is not unlikely to be a semi
official hint as to the next move of the
government should President Kruger
prove obdurate
CRISIS IS ACUTE.
The morning papers editorially regard
the crisis as having reached its most
acute phase. The Daily News says:
I'VE refuse to believe that President
Chamberlain's moderate demands
The Daily Chronicle, which appeals to
Mr. Kruger again Ito accept while there
is yet time and before the terms become
harder" says:
"a refusal of the present terms will
cause the ruin of tie state over which
Mr. Kruger presides. The British govern
ment have made the first and second
moves IN the game and must therefore
irI no
Kruger haggies, the sinister condition in
South Africa will grow worse until
catastrophe is reached"
OTHER papers talk of the imminence of
war. and all the dispatches from South
Africa continue to describe the military
preparations on both sides. The Pretoria
correspondent of the Daily Chronicle
says:
THE Beers assert that Mr. Conyngham
Greene, British Diplomatic agent at Pre-
t"ria, know it was their intention to
adopt their present attitude towards
suzerainty and he tac:tly encouraged
them. His forty-eight hours demand has
produced an awful atmosphere in which
anything is possible. At the same time
Mr.. Hofmetr and practically every men,
Der of The Cape Afrikander party have
wired urging acceptance of the British
demands"
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Times, in his forecast of the Transvaal's
reply, declares that the Beers will lay
stress on the seven-year franchise law,
though to offering to consider British
suggestions for its operation and for the
rest take their stand the London con-
vention. The Tin es says:
I'VE cannot believe that President
Kruger vii; reject the latest proposition
of the government. Mr.. Morley even has
adopted the fiveyear franchise proposal
and urges President Kruger to accept
the proposed conference
1t is understood a special cabinet coun-
ell will be summoned as socn as the
Transvaals reply is received.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Manchester Guardian, telcgraphing Fri
Gay, says:
THE situation has become very critical
The material changes in the drafting CT
the reply delivered to Mr.. Greene today
are due to representations from Blce-n-
fontein and the disposition CT the vollls-
raad."