The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-08-02
A GREAT SOUTH AFRICAN
JOHANNES PAULUs
KRUGER.
Has Served His Country Continuously
since 1Sl2-The Central Figure of
South African Conservatism.

NEW YORK. July 2j.-The resigna-
ton of President Kruger, has been
withdrawn. Events i'm the Transvaal
lately have brought the old President
more personally before the world than
ever.
President Kruger has had a long ca
reer of activity and usefulness in the
service of his country, during which he
has filled most acceptably every Office
from the highest to the lowest in her
gift AS soldier and diplomat he has
been i'm continuous service since 1912,
and has well earned the respect Of his
foes and the love of his own people to
whom he was commonly known as
"Oom Paul. (our PauD.
Stephanus Johannes Paulus, as Kru-
ger was christened, was born at Coles
burg, Cape Colony tsince 1906 under
British rule), i'm 1925 and is therefore
about 20 years of age. His first African
ancestor was a German, and not a Hol-
landed DutChman, as has been often
said. Though he spelled his name as
Paul Kruger, he signs it today
Kruger CKroogeD after the Dutch,
and not Kruger after the German
form. As a boy of 10 years of age he
marched at his fathers side in the
Great Trek" of 1885 to Natal and later
| back over the DrakenSberg Mountains
| to the Orange Free State. He was call
| ed into public office a a very early age,
being made magistrate under the title
/ of field cornet" when only L. and until
! the present, he has in one position or
another ever since been continuously in
the service of his country. When but
! yet a mere lad he took part in the war
with the Matabeles and earned much
| distinction by his skill and GOODNESS and
bravery.
/ AS a young man of 90 he went into his
] ;-l I'D &c
with his father when the latter fired the
! first shot at the battle of Boomplatz of
which latter fact he has always since
made no small boast.
Upon the annexation of the Orange
Republic by the British, Paul Kruger,
with a large number of his countrymen,
"trekked" again, crossed the Vaal Riv-
er and with others who had gone be-
fore direct from Natal laid the founda-
ton of the "Transvaal," or South Afri-
can Republic. Having earned distinc-
ton as a brave soldier, and confidence
as a cool and clear-headed man, he
made rapid advancement in the official
positions of the primitive republic, and
by 1859 had reached the office of COM
mandant. He held this position during
the civil war of 1860, and by his unwav-
ering determination quick action and
undaunted bravery, together with hne
strategic skill soon worsted his oppo-
nentS, captured POtchCfStrOm, thelI
headquarters and principal stronghold
and brought the war to close. Under
the Presidency of Van Rensburg, Kru-
ger was made commander in chief OF
all the Boer forces, then engaged in
hard struggle with the Katfirs, Zulus
and other tribes, and in the face of
overwhelming numbers managed affairs
ISnost advantageously In 1876 he was
elected vice president, which office he
held when the annexation of the Trans
vaal was proclaimed by Sir Theophilus
Shepstone in behalf of Great Britain ir
1877. He was the leader of the famous
triumvirate composed of Pretorius
Joubert and himself, which strenuOusly
opposed annexation and stood out fol
the independence of the Transvaal as
guaranteed in the Rand River Conven
ton of 1852. To Sir Bartle Frere he APP
peared most obdurate on this point, al
ways saying I'VE want our country
back. We will take nothing less thar
our country, and we will not rest da!
or night until we get it,
Kruger was a leading spirit in thu
preparations for the revolt in 1SSO-S1
and took an active part in the direc
ton of affairs at the battle of Majubi
Hill where the British We're so disas
trously defeated and made oVerture
for peace.
Kruger, of course, was a leader in tn
reorganization of the Transvaal Re
public, and by his wise and moderat
counsels did much to heal the differ
ences that had been engendered by tn
events of the previous five years. i
1888 he was elected to the Presdenc
for five years, and rejected in 1898, 1879
and again to his fourth term in 1898.