The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-22
WAR SEEMS NEAR
PRESIDENT KRUGER HAS DE-
CLINED TO ACCEDE TO MR..
CHAMBERLAIN's REQUEST
BRANDED AS A HYPOCRITE

High Colonial Official Says That the
President of the Beers Is Insin-
cere-He Seeks to Gain the Sym
pathy of the WOrId-FeeItng Runs
High in Cape Town, and Proba-
BILE War Is the Chief Topic.
LONDON, Aug. H.-There is no longer
any doubt that President Kruger has re-
fused to submit to the demand of Mr.
Chamberlain for the appointment of a
court Of inquiry. He may have done so
automatically or hedgingly. But that his
answer is regarded by the British gov
ernment as tantamount to positive re-
fusal is now an established fact The
colonial office is normally non-committal,
but there are other evidences which am
ply justify the statement. The report
that President Kruger has proposed new
terms is somewhat verified by the guard
ed comment of the colonial officials and
the irritability displayed there. There is
not the slightest doubt that they now
believe war is the only way to settle the
controversy. They would far rather have
porizing reply which the Boer president
has sent. With the former Great Britain
would have plain grounds for a quick
commencement of hostilities. Under the
circumstances which it is believed now
exist, a grave action needs considerable
explanation to justify it in the eyes of
the world and the English minority,
who still declare war would be an out
rage. However, if Mr.. Chamberlain has
his way, it is believed President Kruger's
counter proposals will meet with scant
attention, and unless the Beers complete
ly back down, which is not likely, the
correspondence will quickly develop into
war. 1t has developed that the war office
has been aware Of the nature of the
Transvaal governments answer for sew
eral days and that it was transmitted to
the war office, hence Great Britain will
delay the denouement as little as possi-
BILE.
KRUGER DENOUNCED.
A high colonial official expressed to q
representative Of the Associated Press
his disgust at what he termed "Kruger's
cupidity and hypocrisy" He said:
''The kind Of game which Krueger is
protestations of the Beers that they wish
to live q quiet, agricultural life may be
the tune Of some Of the veldt, but the
gang in Pretoria is simply after money.
Though President Kruger says many
harsh things Of the uitlanders, he never
hesitated to make money out of them,
either by fair or foul means. This Trans
vaal question cannot be judged by recent
occurrences. You must go back fifty
years. It has been hanging fire all that
time, and the sooner it is settled now the
better.
Though the official actually did not say
so, 1t was clear that he believed war was
the only method Of settlement.
A special dispatch from Cape Town says
there is great danger Of an outbreak Of
violence on the frontier and that the scum
of South Afbica is enlisting throughout
the colony and are being sent to Pittsi-
ana and Jameson, on the border.
FEELING RUNS HIGH.
CAPE TOWN, Aug. N.-Sunday was OBJ
served throughout the Orange Free State
and Cape Colony with humiliation, prayer
and sermons advocating peaceful solu-
ton of the crisis. Mr.. Snyttler leading
Dutch Reform preacher here, held forth
on the close ties uniting the cape Dutch
to those of the Transvaal, which, he add
ed, were members of the great Afrikander
family If war was declared, he said,
Great Britain would commit a heinous
crime before God and man, resulting in
civil war in Cape Colony.
There was evidence Of growing uneasi-
ness at Johannesburg. Great crowds
gather at the railway stations, express
ing disapproval at the departures for
Cape Colony and Durham, Natal.
According to Afrikander reports, the
Transvaars reply is q counter proposal
of five years retrospective franchise
in the election of the president and on
increased representation. 1t is said that
the suggestion is made to submit all
other differences to arbitration