Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-30
THINGS TAKE AN ALARMING TURN IN
TRANsyAAL AFFAIR.
LONDON PAPERS CONCERNED
TALK AS If THEY EXPECTED
SHOOTING TO BEGIN SOON.
Great Britain Adds to It's Demands.
and President kruger Appears
as Unyiclding as Ever
Women Are Leaving
Transyaal.

LONDON, Aug. 30.-The Pretoria corre-
spondent of the Daily Chronicle, telegraph
ing Tuesday, says:
Events have taken an alarming turn.
Great Britain, at the request of the Uit-
landers' council, has enlarged the original
demands of Sir Alfred Miner. the British
high commissioner, and is adopting the
view of Cecil Rhodes that President Kru-
ger will never withstand an ultimatum.
Il have, however high authority for
asserting that President Kruger, the
Volksraad and the nation will untedly re-
sist an unconditional demand for giving
effect to the Miner programme, but will
concede reforms on the conditions already
reported"
The Times, referring this morning edi-
torially to the statement of William p.
Schreiner, the Cape premier, that, in the
event of war, he would do his best to keep
the Cape Colony aloof from the strug-
gle, says:
This is a startling misconception of
duty. When the government of the queen
declares war, it is the duty of all loyal
subjects, whatever their position, not to
keep aloof, but to do their utmost to bring
the struggle to a successful end
Commenting on the declaration of Pres
ident Kruger, of the Transvaal govern
ment, TO the effect that the South African
republic adhered to its latest offer and
would not make any further concessions,
the afternoon papers here unanimously
draw attention to the increased seriousness
of the Transvaal crisis, but at the same
time they express uncertainty regarding
nature of the concessions beyond which
President Kruger says he will not go No
tfiaiD bo, do ~
these, though they are generally under
| stood to be d five year franchise and in
creased Outlander representation. IF this
is correct the Globe says, it can not be
| long before diplomacy has to stand aside
| as of no further service
| The Pail Mall Gazette says: president
| krugers adherence to these would mean
adherence to impossible conditions and, If
| so the situation has come to an ugly
| head"
The Westminster Gazette. while lament
| ing the immoderation which, it says led
| to the present crisis. admits that 1.-The
country is within sight of a war which
may shortly be as unavoidable as, on the
merits of the question. it would be mex
| cusable."
To whatever dispatch or conditions
| President Kruger's defiant remark refer
| red, it has brought home sharply the keen
possibility of an impending war against
no weak kneed adversary. 1t is said that
with recruits from over the borders, the
Transvaai would have about 10000 men al
its disposal. whereas the most the Brit.
ish now could throw on the frontier would
be $4,000; though, of course, this number
could be materially increased within d
| month
The British public is taking intense in
| tta inns Of thai,
forces already in South Africa. Indigna
tion against W. P. Schreiner, premier o
Cape Colony. who in the Cape house as
sembly yesterday declared that, under th'
customs convention, the Orange Free Stat.
was justified in importing arms through
Cape Colony. is fairly general, though tina
section which believes that Boer wa
would be a crime are making, by edit
orials, petitions, etc, what they appear I,
think is the last effort to avert hostilities
CAPE TOWN, Aug. 29.-Owing to TIL
continued tension and warlike conditions
trade in many places is practically at
standstill. and great distress prevail
among the poorer classes, both at 10
hannesburg and here.
1t is reported that 200 horses which wer
disembarked to-day at Delagoa bay, pre-
sumabry for the Transvaal, have bee
held, pending instructions on the subject.
LONDON, Aug. 3O.-The Cape Town cor
respondent of the Daily Mail says:
"A pitiable scene was witnessed at tn
railway station to-day on the arrival from
Johannesburg of $50 children whose pa
rents are too poor to come themselves
1t is estimated that IL, 900 people have lef
, the Transvaal since the crisis began.
In the house of assembly to-day, tn
government announced that it was consid
ering a proposal to afford great facilit.e
for women and children 10 leave Johannes
| s..fl man In nd IL in tote e fa
ment. owing to the fears of Boer raid
Colonel Baden Powells forces there ar
: wholly inadequate 10 protect such an ex
tended frontier and the Beers appear L
| be quietly concentrating in the western
part of the 1ransvaal.
"A BOer spy has been arrested in Ra
mattabama camp. in British Bechuana
land
CAPE TOWN, Aug. 29-The members o
the Progressive party in the Cape hous
of assembly freely declare their dissatis
faction with the speech of the premier, w
p. Schreiner. last evening in the debat
precipitated by Right Hon. Sir John Cor
of the policy of the government with re
spect to the transit of arms intended TO
the Orange Free State.
They announce their intention of organ
izing public meetings to protest agains
Mr. Schreiner's course in the matter
Dispatches received here from Pretori
and Durham show that the Uitlanders ar
suffering greatly from the strain involve
in the political crisis. Many ladies ar
] leaving PietermaritZburg, capital of Nata
The women are preparing petition t
r Queen Victoria in favor of peace, whic
will be sent to all parts of the colony 70
| signatures.
/ JOHANNESBURG. Aug. 29.--The Stan
dard and Diggers' News credits Genera
Joubert, the commander-in-chief of tn
Z Transvaal forces. and vice president of tn
republic. with the statement that, al
though he is personally deSirous to d
| everything to preserve peace, the situatio
IS such that the republic must be prepare
Il for war