Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-21

denly disappeared, and when he failet
10 show UP searching party was mad,
up to hunt for him. At the end O
three days they found the future presi
dent, who was then a field cornec
lying face down on the open veldt
He had been praying three days an
nights steadily without food or water
and was nearly dead. When carried
back and revived he exclaimed that he
had done it as a chastiserlent for his
sins.
Two stories the Outlanders relate to
offset kruger's reputation for piety
One was recently printed in a Natal
paper. 1t accused Dom Paul of punish
ing one OF his Kaffir boys by tying him
under his wagon, spreading out his legs
and arms and making them fast to the
axles. The boy was hauled for two
days in this position, declared the
writer. On another occasion. Kruger.
when he was trekling, lost an OK and
could not find another to take its place,
so, it is alleged, he hitched up a Kaffir
in the team and completed tie journey.
| This Kaff1r is still living near Dreik-
| oEies, in the Orange Free State, at a
ripe old age, SO the experience does not
seem to have injured him. In fact, he
seems rather proud Of the distinction.
The first question put to Dom Paul
by your correspondent was why he did
not give the Outlanders the right to
vote, which the English put forth as
their chief cause for comp Amt. Kruger
smoked hard for a moment, then laid
down his pipe, and placing his hands
on his knees, said:
"a man cannot serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and cling
to the other, or despise the one and
love the other. Now, the Englishman
wants to do this. He demands the
franchise from me, desires to become a
burgher, and yet when it comes to
trouble he would forsake us in a
moment and claim the protection of
the Queen.
Glow can I give such men the
chance to vote? They do not take any
interest in our country. They have
not come here to settle. They wish us
no good. I want to be fair with every
one who comes here to live, and when
he has proved that he is a good citizen
and has come to help us [ want him to
vote. But we have law for bigary in
the Transvaal, and it is necessary for
a man to put off his old love before
taking on a new"
Kruger related graphically the his
tory Of the Beers from the time they
settled in Cape Colony, from which
they were driven by the English, until
they settled in the Transvaal On this
great trek they killed 5000 lions, of
which number Kruger himself killed |
250. They fought their way step by
step until they finally reached the long
ridge known as the Witswatersrand, |
where they settled, al unconscious of |
the hidden wealth.
ct seemed so poor" said Kruger, |
that even the English did not be- |
grudge it. So we established a govern |
ment, developed constitution and laid !
the foundation for a nation. We built |
towns, cultivated the soil and were
making great progress and living |
peacefully when gold was discovered |
Then new and proplexing questions |
arose, and England Immediately be-
came avaricious, but we were not will |
ing to give up the country which We
had developed by the sweat Of our
brow, and so there was Majuba Hill. |
You know about that?"
Here Kruger blinked slyly, and a
laugh went around among the Beers.
$50, now" continued Dom Paul, TAX
ing up his pipe and dropping into par
ables, "the gold fields are like a beauti-
wants her, and when they cannot get
her they do not want anyone else to
possess her"
Can the English starve you out?"
eff the Lord wills it, yes" he replied.
IF not, the English can build a wall
around us as high as Jericho and we
will live and prosper
Kruger is now 76 years old and has
been elected to the presidency four
times. His salary is $4,000 a year. His
life has certainly been a remarkable
one, and at different stages he has been
a farmer, herdsman, hunter, soldier,
clergyman, ambassador, fnancier and
head of the army. In recent years ne
his bought and sold land a good deal
and is reputed to be very wealthy. His
habits and method of living are so sim
pie, however, that he could have saved
nearly all his salary in these years,
which would give him tidy fortune.