The evening times., 1899-09-29
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2s. 1899.
south African FiIipinos.

South
A despatch TO the London Financial
Chronicle" states that Sir Alfred Milner
has positive proof of a conspiracy between
President Kruger and certain highly place
politicians in Cape Colony 10 declare the
independence of that BIiu5h possession
and organize great South African Re
public. the dominating influence OF which
will be Boer.
Ii is not particularly surprising that
such a plot should exist. The British a.
the Cape have their strong anti-imperial
element TO contend with just as we have
our Hoars and Hessians, and Boer 1unta
in Cane Town is as natural a thing to es-
pect as a Filipino junta in Boston The
surprising thing is that Sir Alfred Milner
and his home government should have toll
Grated such thing.
IL is different with US, Of course. In this
country we permit many things for per-
sonal and diplomatic reasons. We per-
mitted our soldiers in the Spanish war 10
be fed on carrion. The higher authorities
were sorry TO know of the outrage. but they
would not and did not stop il. because that
NOuta OAituN SOlAl aNlO4o anu NANlA EO-i'AN-A
.jackers and allies. We allowed a regular
saturnalia of loot and robbery in the pur-
chase of yachts ocean tramps, and worm
eaten. rotten. rat-deserted hunks of the
5derrimae type, rather than offend the Of
fetal or contributory political elements
connected with the deals. We have winked
at a Weyleresque regime of smuggling,
treasonable trade in arms and ammunition
with rebels, and general corruption in Ma
Mia rather than antagoniZe the influential
benefciaries of the system. And We have
tolerated sedition- -mongers and traitors in
Boston and elsewhere. because some Of
ihem happen TO be Republican statesmen
with voice and a following.
1t seems queer to anyone familiar with
British policy and action in the past that
for example, the Afrikander Schreiner
Prime Minister of Cape Colony, should
have been allowed defantly to protect the
Orange Free State in securing arms
through Cape Town with which TO fight
England. knowing as he uEquestionab,y
did, and as every intelligent man at that
seat OF government did. that they were
being received for that and 70 other pur-
pose. Schreiner has boldly declared in the
Cape Legislature that he would not inter
fere with the traffic. Nothing happ sned to
him. lie is still at the head OF the local
ministry, and arms are passing through
10 Bloemfontein today, or were a few da.s
ago.
The open announcement that Sir Alfre !
Milner has complete evidence of the con
spiracy behind this policy of treason wi ]
re likely TO force the Afrikanders' hand.
Ii would not be amazing TO learn at any
moment that Schreiner and many others
of his kind had made a sudden trek in
The direction of Pretoria
No doubt. the conditions which appear
SO surprising to outsiders are due to the
little less surprising fact that the British
Government. with five years notice of the
coming and inevitable struggle should
have been caught in the state of total un-
preparedness for it, which is about the
most noticeable phenomenon of the situa-
tion. We are sure that it must create
a suspicion among the English people that
possibly, a serious outbreak in other direc-
tions might expose a similar lack Of pre-
vision on the part of the colonial office in
the past.
Once aroused John Bull is quite able TO
appreciate the dangers of whatever situa-
tion he may find himself called upon to en-
counter. The astonishing gun work of the
American navy under Admiral Dewey and
Rear Admiral Schley in the two sea battles
of the Spanish war; startled the British gov
ernment into insistence upon greater atten-
tion TO target practice in its navy than ere-
had been dreamed of before. We may ex-
pect that the South african lesson, in the
serious danger involved in unreadiness for
erentualities will have a similar effect. in
causing the military authorities of the en-
pire TO take an account of stock and as
certain how well prepared they are to face
uncomfortable possibilities in the various
parts OF the world where Great Britain is
constantly menaced by unfriends who would
rroba5ly become open foes at the first ia
yorable opportunity.
The American City.
There have been numerous names for the