The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-18
Reply of the Transvaal Received
in England-Generally Looked
Upon as a Defiance.
BOERS MEAN TO FIGHT
Kruger q Shifty Politician, Fit Only to
to Be Spoken To Across q Limo OF
Bayonets-A Reputation OF Suzar-
ainty-It Terminates Long Period of
Uncertainty and Unrest-Duallsm in
South Africa Must End.

Pretoria, Sept. 1.-THE reply of the
government of the South African re-
| public to the latest dispatch, dated
Sept. IL, of the British secretary of
state for the colonies, Joseph Chamber
lain, after acknowledging thu receipt q.
the British note, proceeds in part as
follows:
The government deaply regrets the
withdrawal, as the government under
Glands it, Of the invitati IN contained IN
the British dispatch Of Aug % and the
substitution, in place thereof, of an en-
tirely new u, posal.
THE proposals now fallen through,
contained in the Transvaal dispatch of
Aug. 10 and Aug. q, were elicited from
this gov.lLment by suggestions made
by the British diplomatic agent in Pre-
toria, Conyngham Greene, to the
Transvaal state, sugg estions which this
government acted upon in good faith
and after specially ascertainins wheth-
er they would be likely to prove ac-
ceptable to the British government
This government had by no means an
intention to raise again needlessly the
question of it's political status, but
acted with the sole object of endeavor-
ing, by the aid of the local British
agent, to put an end to the strained
condition of affairs.
This was done in the shape of a pro-
posal which this government deems,
both as regards its spirit and form to
be so worded as, relying upon intma-
tions to this government would satisfy
her majesty's government This gov
ernment saw a difficulty al to the ac-
ceptance of these proposals by the peo-
nj 1nrrt trIf Nf
also contemplated possible dangers con-
nected herewith but risked them on
account of sincere desire to secure
peace and because assured by Mr.
Chamberlain that such proposals would
not be deemed refusal of his propo-
sails, but would be settled on their
merits
"As regards the joint commission. the
Transvaal adheres to the acceptance of
the invitation thereunto given by her
majesty's government and cannot un-
derstand why such commission, be-
fore deemed necessary to explain the
complicated details of the seven-year
law, should now be deemed unnecessary
and why it should now, without such
inquiry, be thought possible to declare
this law inadequate.
Further. there must be misappre-
hension il it be assumed that this gov
ernment was prepared to lay proposals
for five years franchise and a quar-
ter representation OF the new popula-
tion before the volksraad for uncondi-
tional acceptance. AS to the language,
this government never made any offer
such as is referred to, considering. as it
did. such a measure both unnecessary
and undesirable
The proposed conference as opposed
to the joint commission of inquiry, this
government is likewise not unwilling to
enter upon, but the difficulty is that an
acceptance thereof Is made dependent
upon the acceptance on the side of the
Transvaal of precedent conditions
which this government does not feel at
liberty to submit to the volksraad, and
moreover the subjects to be discussed
at the conference remain underlined
This government ardently desires
and gladly accepts arbitration, as it's
hrm intention is to adhere to the terms
or the London convention of 1884"
The dispatch concludes by trusting
that the British governments recon
sideration may not deem it fit to make
more new proposals, but will adhere to
Great Britain's proposals for a joint
commission of inquiry as previously ex-
planned by the secretary of state - the
colonies to the imperial parliament"