The Portland daily press., 1899-06-27
.EAGLAND WONT TURN BACK
Plain Talk BY secy.
Chamberlain.
Great Britain Will Insist on Reforms
In TransyaaI.
A Time When Patience
Is Weakness.
Kruger Must Recede or There'll
Be War.

Birmingham, Eng, June s6. Mr.
Joseph Cham berlain, secretary of state
for the colonies, addressing the Union
lists of this city. this evening, reviewed
carefully the Transvaal question. In the
course OF his speech he said that owing
to the enormous military preparations Of
the government OF the South African re-
public, Great Britain had been compelled
TO increase the British garrison in Cape
Colony and Natal. entailing additional ex-
penditure Of 500, 600 pounds annually.
''If the reform which Lord Ripon pro-
posed in 1894 had been accepted" said
the minister, There would have been no
raid and no crisis as the present. Bot
the raid tied the hands Of the govern.
ment and prevented the application of
pressure.
Mr.. Chamberlain said tha government
had tried to establish friendly relations
with President Kruger, but all their adj
vanoes had been received with contempt.
He then proceeded TO eulogise Sir AL
fred Milner. governor of Cape Colony
and British high minister for South
Africa. The government accepted full
responsibility for the actions of that
official. AS for the counter proposals of
Mr.. Kruger they did not constitute even
q fair installment OF reform.
After denouncing in the stron gest
terms the attitude and actions of the
Beers. Mr.. Chamberlain. with great de-
liberation, anG emphasis, added:
1.-THE Transvaal's enormous secret SER
vice fund has procured it friends and adj
vocates in every country. The way the
British subject there is treated is not
with our prestige among ths natives, who
now regard the Beers and not the Brit
ish rs the paramount power.
"Besides the breaches of the Lopdon
convention, the Transvaal is fagrantly
violating the equality that convention
was intended TO secure. Its misgovern2
iDent Is fostering sore, poisoning the
whole atmosphere OF south Africa. The
Dutch In Cape Colony and Natal should
be In the happiesI condition, but SO
long as the disease of hatred and sus-
pioion prevails in the 1ransvaaai 1t Is
impossible to stop the oontagion.
Flour times since independence was
granted, we have been on the verge Of
war with the Transvaal. II is erroneous
to say the British government wants war;
but 1t Is equally erroneous to say that
the government will draw back now
that 10 has put Its hand to the pillow.
I'VE hope the efforts that are now be-
ing made win lead to an amicable ar
rangemsnt, for Great Britain only de.
sires Justice, but there comes time when
patience can hardly be distinguished
from weakness and when moral pressure
becomes farce, that cannot be- continued
without loss of self-respect. trust that
time may never come In this instance,
but II IL does, Britons will insist upon
finding the means TO SECURE result es-
ssntiAl to the peace OF South Africa"
The speech was warmly applAuded. In
replying 20 a vote of thanks, Mr.. Cham
berlain said he felt STRENGTHENED and
encouraged by their confidence and sup.
port. lie spoke from the hesrt, because
he believed they had reached critical
turning point In the history of the en-
pire and thai the whole world was watch
ing TO see how they would issue from
the difficulty.
1t Is my belief" he said In closing,
that the country will now show herself
not unworthy of its glorious history and
traditions.