The San Francisco call., 1899-09-24


stage of the Transvaal crisis has
peace or war rested so entirely
IL within the hands Of President
Kruger. The longer he delays
precipitating definite issue the better
are the chances for peace. He now
knows to what extent he can rely on
sections of South Africa TO uphold him
and he realizes that the British will, II
possible, avoid a conflict until the last
transport lands her men. and he is too
willy a leader not TO know the military
advantage that comes to the aggressor.
His appeals TO the foreign powers to
intervene have apparently been hope
less. but his efforts to drag in the
Orange Free State have been success
fuI, and if he honestly intends TO defy
Great Britain he never will have bet
ter opportunity than at present 1t Is
such reason which is uppermost in the
minds Of the thinking British and
which prompts them to fear that before
next weeks Cabinet meeting the Beers
will have passed over Natals from
tier.
If they have not there will be much
ground for believing President hru-
ger intends an ultimate backdown,
though whether he is strong enough to
carry his people with him in such ac-
ton is open TO great doubts The cab
met council merely verifies the logical
supposition that Great Britain will is
sue no hostile ultimatum until she is in
a position TO back it up.
The impression that war is inevitable,
which is now fairly general, is based
almost solely upon the belief that the
Beers will not submit. while It is I'M
possible for Great Britain TO recede
from the position which the Secretary
Of State for the Colonies, Joseph Cham-
berlain, brought about. The recent ne
gotiations upon the part OF the Colo
NAL Secretary have not tended TO ap-
pease the peace party in England The
Speaker declares that Ito fight over
question of etymology is naturally I'M
DossibIe.." by which the paper refers TO
sI1zerainty being the whole base OF the
dispute.
The Speaker and some of the other
Liberal papers take the view that Mr
Cham berlain has made ii as hard as
nossible for President Kruger 10 &C
'cept his terms.
Sir Edward Clarke. Q. c.. former So
licitor General, writes 10 the Times
that he sees no casus belli and hopes
Parliament will be summoned. so that
the whole affair may be explained to
him and other Conservatives.
w. T. Stead, Mr.. Chamberlain bit
ter opponent, is bringing out pam
phlet. Shall I Slay My Brother Boer
an appeaI to the consciences OF Great
Britain, in which he reiterates his ac-
cusations of Mr. Chamberlain's com
plicitv in the Rhodesian conspiracy or
1s95 and declares that war would be
= stain upon Great Britain's escutcheon
as foul as that by which the Dreyfus
case has sullied the fair name of
France" He compares Mr.. Chamber
lain TO General Mercier and the South
African committee which tried the
Jameson raiders to the Rennes court
martial But such diatribes do not
represent the popular feeling. Ii Presi-
dent Kruger decides to hold his ground
with the only means at his disposal,
that Is. almost immediate hostilities, he
will find he has but small sympathy
from any class Of British.
The Transvaal negotiations are now
so long drawn out that though the pa
pers devote great space TO them, popu-
lar interest seems tagging. The Gov
ernment organs while regretting the at
titude Of the Orange Free State point
out that its open hostility will even
tually prove advantageous in riddfng
Gerat Britain of the annoyance OF
having a presumably neutral but
really hostile power so close to the
scene of action. and enabling Great
Britain to add the Free State to her
possessions without encountering for
eign protests or accusations OF inhu-
man ggrandizement-