Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-05
London Press Still Regards the Sit
uation In South Africa With
Gravity.
Apparently No Progress Made To.
wards Solving the Problem
Johannesburg Excited.
Officials Of War Office Deny That
the Reserves Have Been
Called.

London, Sept. 5.-The latest news
from various points in South Africa is
vague and contradictory. Nothing more
is known regarding the status of nego-
tiations between Great Britain and the
Transvaal than was learned yesterday.
Officials of the war office emphatically
deny that the reserves have been called
| out or that any steps have been taken
to that end. The afternoon papers fol-
low the lead of the morning papers.
taking an extremely grave view of the
situation.
The secretary of state for the Colo
MES, Joseph Chamberlain, arrived in
LONDON yesterday afternoon and at
once proceeded to the foreign office. 1t
IS understood that he will remain here
until the end of the crisis.
Inc war office refuses to confirm
fumor that proclamation will be is
sued calling out the reserves.
| All reports agree that the excitement
IN johannesburg is unabated, that the
exodus from that city is continuing and
that distress there is increasing.
Cablegrams from Boer and British
L D.
arations on all sides.
The afternon papers take the view
that If yesterdays dispatch was correct
President Kruger's reply is ominous as
1t was palpably made to gain time. Sir
Alfred Miners suggestion of a further
conference at Cape Town was insti-
gated with the sole purpose of consider
ing details and for the enforcement of
the concessions offered by the Beers. If
these concessions are withdrawn there
can be no object from a British point
OF view for parleying longer. The only
inference to be drawn is that the Beers
nave taken Secretary Chamberlain at
ms word in broader sense than he in
jteFded. and that they now want to be-
gin negotiations over again on an en-
Itirely new basis.
The shrewdness of this reported move
IS not likely to save it from being in
lterpreted by the British government as
i a thinly yelled defiance, and unless it is.
accompanied by a vague q agreement fur
4 .her to confer it would generally be
taken as sufficient cause for Immediate
Ihostiities.
! Regarding the exact, terms of the re-
lpiy in question reports continue nysti-
1 Tying in contradictions.
/ a dlspatch from Pretoria says: I'm
lconnection with the arrest of Mr.. Pake-
4 man, editor of the Transvaal Leader
and the threatened arrest of other out
flanders. Mr.. Smuts, the Beers states
attorney, denies that instructions We're
lever issued al Pretoria for these ar
Irests or that any political arrests We're
! contemplated. but that warrants We're
issued at Johannesburg by suborci-
nate without consultation with the
/ states attorney. Mr. Smuts expresses
regret that such unfounded statements
should have caused the departure of
several prominent rand gentlemen, and
j Especially trusts that his assurance will
be accepted that they need not have the
/ slightest fear of any such step being
taken against them
This announcement tends to quiet
the public mind and to arrest the ex-
odus'
The Cape Argus, however, declares
that the explanation offered by Mr.
ISmuts of the arrests is unsatisfactory
and that the mystery is one that calls
for immediate elucidation
/ Mr.. Pakeman has been released un-
der $500 bail. and the charges against
him have ben reduced from treason to
4 violation of the press laws