The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-16
Ruin or THE TRAASvAAL
Should Kruger Reject Chamber
lain's Proposal.
FORECAST OF THE REPLY
VIII Adhere to the Seven Years Fran
chise Law-Within q Measurable
Distance OF War The
Crisis Is Acute.

London, Sept. ia special dispatch
from Pretoria says: The Transvaal ad-
heres to the seven years franchise law,
but is willing to consider, and If nee
essary, adopt any suggestion with re-
gard to the working of the law In
regard to the other points Mr.. Cham
berlain's dispatch says the Transvaal
stands by the London convention. 1t
is said that the reply is couched in
polite terms.
State Secretary Reitz, in the course
of an interview to-day, expressed some
doubt as to whether any alteration
would be made in the existing franchise
law, but said he believed a way should
and could be found to establish an ar
bitration court. AS to suzerainty, the
least said, the soonest mended, re-
marked the state secretary
In the forecasts of President Kru-
gers reply there is undoubtedly
large basis of truth which seems to
bring the dispute within a measurable
distance of war
Last evening the press association is
sued curious statement to the effect
that as soon as the garrison in Natal
had been sufficiently strengthened the
upon to accept a new convention, al
ready drafted, which, while guarantee
ing the integrity of the Transvaal
state, provides for the demolition of
the forts and limits the armed force
of the Transvaal to a number deemed
sufficient to maintain internal order
According to the press association
the convention will demand that the
diplomatic agencies be suppressed and
the Judiciary be made independent of
the executive.
This statement must be accepted I'M
der reserve at the present stage, but it
is not unlikely to be semi official hint
as to the next move of the government
should President Kruger prove obsti-
nate.
The morning papers editorials regard
the crisis as having reached it's most
acute phase.
The Daily News says: I'VE refuse to
believe that President Kruger is so
foolish as to reject Mr.. Chamberlain's
moderate demands"
The Daily Chronicle, which appeals
again to Mr.. Kruger ito accept while
it is yet time, and before England's
terms become harder" says: "A re-
fusal Of the present terms will involve
the ruin of the state over which Presi-
dent Kruger presides."
The British government has played
its first and second move in the game
and must perforce play the third and
then the fourth If Mr.. Kruger bag
giles the sinister conditions in South
Africa will grow worse until catastro-
phe is reached.
Other papers talk of the imminence
Of war and all the dispatches from
South Africa continue to describe the
military preparations on both sides.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Daily Chronicle says: The Beers as
sert that Conyningham Greene, British
diplomatic agent at Pretoria, knew it
was their intention to adopt the atti-
tude they have regarding suzerainty
and that he tacitly encouraged them,
as the documents show.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Times, in his forecast of the Transvaals
reply, declares that the Beers will lay
stress on the seven-year franchise law,
though offering to consider their sug-
gestions as to its working and for the
rest take their stand on the London
convention.
The Times says: We cannot believe
that President Kruger will reject the
latest proposals of the government, and
we would remind him that even Mr..
Merely has Endorsed the five-year fran
chise and urged him to accept the Cape
Town conference.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Manchester Guardian, telegraphing Fri
day, says: The situation has become
extremely grave. The material changes
in the draft of the reply delivered to
Mr.. Greene to-day are due to represen-
tations from Bloemfontein and the dis
position of the volksraad.
Severe Penalties.
Canatown SAINT 15-The British high