The times., 1899-09-25
Sides With The BRITISH
A South African Missionary on Tie
Transvaal Dispute.
The Rev. DIR. Stewart. a Distinguish
ed Delegate 20 the Pan-PreSbyter-
ian Alliance. Declares That Kruger
In Wrong The Boer Republic
a Travesty - Sentiment Wasted.

Rev. DR.. James Stewart, Of Loyedale
Mission Institute, South Africa. one of the
most distinguished delegates TO the Pan
Presbyterian Alliance, which will meet in
Washington en- Wednesday, is expected to
arrive today or tomorrow. Unlike DR.. Bos-
man, DIR. Stewart, who went to South At
rica with Livingston, the explorer, has
championed the English side of the Trans
xaal controversy. He expressed his views
on the subject freely in an interview in
New York yesterday.
The British Government has been re-
markably patient. and its unwiilingness to
go TO war is surely sufficiently evident by
the protracted nature of the negotiations,
said DR.. Stewart 1t does not want war,
and has nothing TO gain by war. For party
purposes in England every effort viii be
made 10 worry and harass the present Gov
ernment Little Englanders and little pa
triots OF every kind, size, and degree will
do their utmost in this same direction.
Many good. pious people, also, who abhor
war and think the lie OF a country may be
strangIed rather than that men should light
for what makes life worth living, viii many
OF them take the same view, and probably
embarrass Mr. Chamberlain's action in the
same way. by deputations and protests on
platforms and in the press. III these COM
plainants and objectors could be placed for
a short time under the TTansvsal Govern
ment their outcries would be Of totally
different kind.
A Strong Force Needed
The British Government viii not go to
war unless they are absolutely forced TO do
so. II war does foElow-which may Gcd
forbid,-a force Of at least fifty thousand
men viii be needed. That is the most
likely means to cut the war short or pre-
vent K altogether In Sir Charles War
ren's expedition Of 1SS4-also caused by fill
busters frC-n the Transvaal attempting 10
found two small republics, Stellaland and
Goshen. 10 the west of the Transvaal, and
thus to close in the road northward and
shut in the Cape Colony-an overwhelming
force was sent and not a shct was fired.
II cost a million of money, but the end
was secured without the use of single
cartridge. Nest CT the military disasters
that have happened in South Africa have
been due TO the entire inadequacy of the
force on various c-casiC1s, for the work
intended At Ma5uba Hell there were only
cas- men, all infantry, while the Beers, in
much larger force, were all mounted-their
horses standing in little groups in the i'm
mediate rear-and they themselves safely
enscCnced behind rccks and kopjies 10 do
their work CT picking CT the British force
leisurely and safely, and no doubt greatly
to their enjoyment. Maiuba Hill has MOTH
ing 10 dc with the present difficulty, except
In so far that il has intoxicated the Dutch
men and misled them into the belief that
what they have done they can do again.
and that the British flag. as they say, is
always a white flag. We have no wish to
avenge Msiuba Hill Il was complete
defeat cf a small fierce, snd let US take ii
gccd naturedly and promise ourselves net
TO do IL again. Revenge is bad and un-
safe business fer both men and nations.
Let us be just, however. There are in
the Cape Colony and cut OF it loyal Dutch
men. loyal as The day, TO the British power.
which is the ruling power. They know the
freedom they enjoy under il and the folly
and futiliry CT trying 10 upset it. Notable
among these is Sir Pieter Faure. Minister
Of Agriculture under the last Ministry, Sir
Gordon Spriggs, which went out last year.
There are also ministers Of religion of the
Dutch Reformed Church. some Of whom
have spoken out in the language of COM
moH sense and justice. but 10 their own
detriment. There are such men among all
classes OF Dutckraen. There may be a few
even in the Transvaal itself. and among
them is probably the lawyer who defended
the sixty political prisoners three years
ago. But they are sad minority.
would honor them for their courage.
The EcPubIie n Traxesty.
NO superfuous pity or sympathy need
be wasted on President Kruger or the
Transvaal Republic. The latter is a shad-
Ow Of name and as great a travesty and
burlesque on the word as il is possible 10
conceive FOur-ffths OF those who have
made that Republic what il is by their
energy. brains. and capital, and their dis
c0veTy Of il as the richest gold field in the
world for lis size, il not absolutely, may
neither peep nor mutter. So far 2s public
life il concerned, they are like men gagged
and pinioned. a few OF them don't care,
so long as they are allowed 10 make money.
even though they pay half as much again
for dynamite as they need pay, in order tc
MI the pockets Of those who have arranged
with the Government.
rPaUl Kruger is al the present moment
tie real troubler OF South Africa II the
spirit and principles which he himself and
his Government represent we're 10 prevail
IL this struggle, il would arrest the deEel-
opment Of the southern half OF the coati.
nent X is too late in the day b. tas
worlds clock Tor that type OF man or goY.
ernmeut 10 continue Tee preservation o.
peace is IN every way q praiseNoTtby OBJ.
sect. but the price may be rather heavy
What IS that large fort which stands oI
the top OF Hospital Hill al johannesburg
or the other forti6cations at Preto. IA in.
tended for-I mean those begun ioag be
fore the present troubles Are they L
protect The country from foreign invasion
That is q simple story which. as a seama,
4,. -xfT ~
These forts are Intended TO keep the Out
landers. who humbly shuttle about Com
missioner Street or Between the Chains
(which is the Wall Street of Johannes
burg, IN Qaietness and order.
President kruger's Intentions.
THE plain fact is this: President Kru
ger does not mean 10 give. never meant &
give. and viii not give anything as con
oession in the shape Of just and nesessar
rights, except what he is forced 70 give
He wants also 10 get rid OF the suzerainty
That darlzens and poisons his days and dis
turbs his nights by fearful dreams Their
is no excuse Tor him. and. as / say ther
need Dc no sentiment wasted on the sub
5ect. Let President Kruger and his sup
porters do what is right and give what /
barely and simply and only necessary a
well as right. and the whole difficulty vii
pass into solution. 10 the relief Of al con
cerned and the preservation OF peace Il
South Africa. II not, the blame must res
with him.
Il am sorry ] cannot give any informa
ton or views different from what ! hav
nov stated. They are the result OF thirt
years residence in Africa But I woul
ask your readers 10 believe that the Brit
ish Government are rather being force
into war than choosing it OF theis own &C
cord Had not the mad Jameson raid take
place-an act that Englishmen all over th
world depiore-sone OF the present ques