The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-15
TRANSVAAL'S. REPLY.
It Is Being Discussed by the Volks>.
raad at Today's Sitting. =
KRUGER FAVORs COMPLIANCE.

Some of the Members, However, Re.
ceived Mr.. Cham berlain's Dispatch
Defantly-Orange Free state VIII
Support the Transvaal.
London, Sept. 15.-According to a
dispatch from Pretoria the discussion
Of the first draft of the reply to the
British note ended last evening, Presi-
dent Kruger having left at O'Clock
and not having returned. 1t is un-
derstood that the government will
draw up the reply in its final form
this morning and Immediately submit
the same to the volksraad. The re-
ply will be In terms strongly inf1u-
enced by the Orange Free State. and
among other features the maintain
ance of the convention of 1884 will
be strongly asserted.
The Pretoria correspondent Of The
Times telegraphs: 1t is very doubt
full whether an unqualified acceptance
of Great Britain's demands will be
given.
The Pretoria correspondent OF The
Daily Telegraph says: The members
of the volksraad received Mr.. Cham
berlain's dispatch detiantly. 1ndivid-
ual members declare that Great
Britain must moderate her demands.
On the other hand, a rumor is current
that President Kruger favors compli-
ance and has even suggested that he
desires the irreconciliabes to leave
Pretoria and consult their constituents.
thereby avoiding their opposition.
This belief is held in Johannesburg,
and accounts for the hopeful cOndi- z
tion of the market. but the general
public is pessimistic.
The Times publishes the following
from johannesburg The mystery sur
rounding the attitude of the Orange
Free State continues President Steyn's
silence is interpreted as showing az
intention TO support the Transvaal
through thick and thin, though his
influence at present is on the side OF
peace. Public feeling is running very
high, and unless President Kruger
makes an emphatic pronouncement in
favor of concilation the great ma
jority of the Beers will inevitably
vote against any concessions beyond
seven years franchise.
Dispatches from Cape Town attach
great importance to an article in The
Onsand the organ of the Afrikander
bund which urges the Transvaal gov
ernment to renew its offer regarding
a conference, declaring that there is
no reason why the Transvaal should
not accept a conference, and calling
attention to the fact that the word
"suzersinty" is not mentioned by Mr..
Chamberlain and that, therefore. there
is nothing to indicate an obligation on
the part of either government to
abandon its views on the subject.
This article is understood to be the
outcome of an important Afrikander
caucus held to discuss the Chamber
lain note and it is understood that the
argument has been fortified by strong
messages to Pretoria, urging the volks-
raad TO forego the suzerainty objec-
tion and to concede the British pro-
posals. There is every reason to be-
lieve that Mr.. Hafmeyr, the Afrikan-
der leader, has wired President Kru-
ger to the same effect. and similar
representations have been telegraphed
from the Orange Free State. -4.s~
The Cape Town correspondent Of
The Daily News says: A thousand
men are engaged in strengthening the
defenses OF Pretoria. Trenches are
being excavated and earthworks con-
structed. 1t is reported that both raads
will adjourn at the end Of the week
to enable members to consult their
on the questions raised In
Mr.. Chamberlain's dispatch.
The Pretoria correspondent OF The
Daily Chronicle says that when Mr..
Greene, the British Dip
lomatic agent, suggested 4S hours as tho
period within which the reply of tho
South African republic was expected
he Transvaal representative replied:
If your suggestion is serious, the re-
ply will be ready in 4S minutes" Presi.
lent Krugers intimates. according to
The Daily Chronicle, are pessimistic
regarding the situation.
The Paris correspondent Of Tho
Times says that M. Delcasso, the
French foreign minister, has directed
he French consul in the Transvaal to
to persuade President Kru-
ger to accept Mr.. Chamberlain's pro.
,psal