New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-28
sOUTH AFRICAN OBJECT-LESsONS.

expressed recently the Oplhioh 'i"' "'
business" in dealing with the Transvaai' lhat
opinion is abundartly confirmed by his speech
Of Monday evening to his constituents at BIZ
m,nabam. He explicitly declared that there
would be no recession by the British Govern
ment from the ground taken by Slr Aiireu
MiIner In the conference with Mr.. kruger at
Bloemfonten and that II necessary GREAT
Britain would find the means to secure re-
suit essential to peace In South Africa. Inat
is tantamount to saying that the IransVaaI
Government must yield, or 1t Will be torced
into compliance; and responsible Brltlsn NIL
lister does not say such thing unless ne means
II and Is prepared TO make it good. MIR. Cham-
berlain's speech will be criticised by the par
tsans Of Mr. Kriiger, not only in the Trans
vaal and in England but here In the Unlteu
States. as domneering and unjust. The I'M
partial estimate Of it. we believe. Will De that
II was lust. and that it was nothing more than
was imperatively required by the interests or
the empire and OF humanity
We published conspcuously few days ago
q long letter, addressed to the Editor OF The
Tribune. on the subject Of the British dispute
with the Transvaal. We are not at liberty to
divulge the name Of the writer but may say
that he is an eminent and distinguished gov
eminent officer Of the Orange Free STATE
whose opinions are always entitled 10 most
respectful consideration. The Iransvaal couid
have and could wish to have, no more earnest
and effective advocate than he. In giving 10
his letter all possible prominence, we feit that
we were giving the Transvaal the best possible
hearing before the American public Yet, we
could not help feeling and we believe the
vast majority of our readers felt, that our cor
RESPONDENTS eloquent pleading was not con-
vincing. and that the preponderance OF fact
and argument remained on the Outlanders
side Of the case.
In fact our correspondents own country Is
standing Encouragement against him. He
must remember that Great Britain forty-hve
wears ago not only granted independence to
tho Orange River Free State but actually
forced Il rpon It against its will, and has in
all these years since respected that indepen-
dence as perfectly as it has that Of the United
States. Is that fact compatible with his the
orv that Great Britain is now breaking faith
with the Transvaal and trying TO Cypress 1t?
If Great Britain is. as he declares, playing the
part of land pirate toward the Transvaal. how
is II that she has so scrupulously kept her
hands off the Orange State. which lies nearer
time enormously rich? It seems to us that the
continued independence of the orange stare
IS a pretty strong indication that Great Brit
ain is not altogether wicked and brutal III her
dealings with the Beers.
Our correspondent might we'll compare. or
contrast. the status Of his own State with that
of the Transvaal. and consider the differences
and the causes Of them. Should he do so, we
are inclined to think he would arrive at some
such conclusions as these Great Britain
granted full independence to the Orange
State but has never rellnquished suzerainty
over the Transvaal; wherefore she does not
NEEDLE with the former, but insists upon eXer-
cisng paramount rights in the latter. BRITISH
settlers are small minority in the Orange
State. but are we'll treated and have no cause
for complaint, and make no complaint, while
in the Transvaa they are large majority and
are grossly ill-treated and have just cause for
the bitter complaint they make wherefore the
British Government does not intervene in be-
half of the former but does in behalf OF the
latter. That we believe TO be fair statement
of tho case And we believe that II the
Roers of the Transvaal were and had been as
enlightened and progressive as those OF the
Orange State. and IL the Government at Pre-
toria were and had been as just and liberal
and intelligent as that Of Bloemfontein. rela-
tions between the Transvaal and Great Brit
ain would all along have been. and would to-
day be. as amiable and mutually satisfac-
tory as those between the Orange State and
| Great Britain.
As for our correspondents declaration that
/ the Transvaal troubles are fomented by only
the capitalists and sensational newspapers. we
simply cannot credit it, We have good reason
to believe that the tens Of thousands of Out
landers in the rank and file small proprietors
and wage-earners, are Just as earnest in their
desire for administrative reforms as are the
millionaire mine owners of the Rand We
cannot disregard the reputable and trust
worthy American settlers there, who have
written home letters of bitter complaint
against Boer tyranny. or those other Ameri-
cans who have abandoned their property there
and come home in disgust. We cannot be
lieve that such Englishmen as Henry VI. Stan
lev and Alfred Miner are deliberate liars. We
| cannot overlook the statement OF General
Jeubert, Vice-Presldent Of the Transvaal, that
he deems the Outanders' complaints well
founded the proposals of the Pretoria Govern
ment inadequate. and the oath of allegiance
which our correspondent approves, as need
lessly, extensively and Intentionally irritating
and humlliating. These things must have their
weight In passing judgment upon the case
and giving them due weight. II seems i'm
possible to Judge otherwise than that the Out
landers are cruelty oppressed, and that hui
mainly and civilization require a prompt and
radical reform of the Transvaal admnstra
ton.
The contractor who is to tear down the Grea