The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-19
THE ONLY WAY OUT.


England and her suzerain state, the Re
public of South Africa, is peculiar one
At any time within the past month, If
the present attitude Of the colonial au-
thorities of England be not merely a
pretense, war should have been de-
clared against the Beers The queens
speech, as well rs that of Mr.. Chamber.
lain in answer to the inquiries of T. T.
O'Connor, merely recites a state of
things which has long been In exist
ence and reiterates a purpose which we
have been hearing expressed in one form
or anothr for long time past.
Why, if the facts be as recited, has
not England taken the situation in hand
in the only way which is said to be open?
If it is the plan to await the good time
Of the Boer authorities for giving re-
spouse to that demand for an inquiry
British patience is evidently likely to be
still more severely strained than it has
been already. The sending of troops to
with any such position, and can be ex-
copied to seriously by President Kru-
ger as being in violation of any real in
tention to secure a peaceful adjustment
of existing difficulties.
The effort which is being quietly made
to involve the United States on the side
of England will be futile. So far as
Americans know anything Of the situa-
ton at all, 1T presents itself to them
as something in this nature: The Boer
republic, with the acquiescence of Eng
land, is a self-governing nation, with the
qualification that the London convention
prevents 1t from entering into treaties
with other states, except the Orange
Free State alone. The absolute con-
troll Of its own internal affairs is guar
anteed by that same convention. The
points at issue are purely and exclu-
sively questions of internal policy While
England insists that in their settlement
no outside nation shall be called on for
its mediation, because of the inhibition
against complete national sovereignty, in
the London convention, 1t at the same
time demands the right to dictate abso-
lutely what the policy Of the Beers shall
be in the purely domestic matters Of ex-
tending the franchise to outsiders and as
to dynamite and other concessions.
If the Beers fight, their cause will ap-
peal with much force to outside nations
England has been able to put an end to
the friendly attitude taken by the Ger
man emperor to the Beers. It is now
trying to enlist the good will of the
United States, but it will be without sue
cess. No free people can regard the at
titude of England toward the Beers other
than as that of the arrogance which comes
from superior power. If the Beers fight,
they will probably be beaten. But fight
they evidently will in the last event
There is one way in which England can
secure peaceful adjustment. Let her
waive the limitation now needlessly put
upon the sovereign rights of the repub-
lie, and the concession the uitIanders
ask for will doubtless be speedily granted.
To concede the right Of internal control
with one hand and draw it back with
another holding a weapon. and at the
same time deny to the people she IS
dealing with the right to appeal to the
friendly Intervention of other nations, is
the kind of policy in principle which
has won for England her evil repute
among the nations.
Let US hope that the matter will be
peacefully adjusted, but that, whether it
is or not, the South African republic will
emerge from the difficulty in all respects
a self-governing people.