The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-09-22
VERY NEAR TO WAR.
Kruscr's Reply Only ARgravatcs the
Situation.


Situation.
Lcndcn. Sept. IA dispatch from
Pretoria says the Transvaal's reply
will be on the following lines:
1.-THE Transvaal adheres to the seven
year franchise proposition, but is will
ing to consider, and, If necessary.
adopt any suggestions that Great
Britain may make in regard to the
working Of the law.
''In regard to the main points of Mr..
Chamberlain's dispatch the Transvaal.
boldly stands by the London conven-
ton.
''lt is said the reply is couched in
polite terms.
"State Secretary Reitz. in the course
of an interview, expressed some doubt
as tn whether any alteration would be
made in the existing franchise law,
but said lie believed way could and
should be found to establish an arb!-
tr1tion court. AS to suZerainty the
least said the sooner mendeu. re-
marked the state secretary"
In the forecasts of President Kru-
gers reply there is undoubtedly a
large basis of truth, which seems to
bring the dispute within measurable
distance Of war. Last evening the
press association issued curious
statement to the effect that as soon as
the garrison in Natal had been suffi-
GENTLY strengthened the Transvaal
government would be called upon to
accept 4 new convention. already
drafted, which. while guaranteeing
the integrity of the Transvaal State,
provides for the demolition of the forts
and limits the armed force of the
Transvaal to what is 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, which
realizes the extreme demands of the
Ouitlanders. must be accepted under
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 OBJ
durate. The morning papers editorial
ly. regard the crisis rs having reached
it's most. acute phase. The Daily News
says:
I'VE refuse to believe that President
IN Ns>>L " III lOollSll stS W itJSJNt
Mr.. Chamberlain's moderate de-
mands."
The Daily Chronicle. which appeals
to Mr.. Kruger again "to accept while
there is yet time and before the terms
become harder" says: "A refusal of
-the present terms will cause the ruin
OF the state over which Mr.. Kruger
presides. The British government has
made the first and second moves in
the game and must. therefore play the
third and the fourth. If Mr.. Kruger
haggles. the sinister condition in South
Africa will grow worse until a catas-
trophe is reached"
Other papers talk of the immnence
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 assert that Mr.. Conyng-
ham Greene, British diplomatic agent
at Pretoria, knew it was their inten-
ton to adopt their present attitude to-
ward suzerinty. AMI he tacitly ell
couraged them. His forty eight hours
demand has produced IN awful atmos.
phcre in which an Ng is possible
AT tie same tim" Hofmeir and
practically every :. r of the Cape
Afrikander party have wired urging
| acceptance of the British demands