The San Francisco call., 1899-09-16
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LONDON, Sept. ia special dis
patch from Pretoria says: The Trans
vaaI adheres to the seven years fran
chise law, but. is willing to consider
and. if necessary, to adopt any sug-
gestion Great Britain may make with
regard to the working of the law. In
regard to the other points of Mr.. Cham
berlains dispatch, the Transvaal bold
ly stands by the London convention.
1t is said that the reply is couched in
polite terms.
State Secretary Reitz, in the course
of an interview to-day, expressed some
doubt as to whether any alteration
would be made in the existing fran
chise law, but said he believed a way
lish an arbitration court. AS to suzer-
ainty, the least said the soonest mend
ed, remarked the State Secretary.
In the forecasts of President Kruger's S
reply there is undoubtedly a large basis
Of truth which seems to bring the dis
pute within a measurable distance of
war.
Last evening the Press Association
issued a curious statement TO the ef-
feet that as soon as the garrison in
Natal had been sufficiently strength
ened the Transvaal Government would
be called upon to accept new conYen-
ton, already drafted, which, while
guaranteeing the integrity of the
Transvaal State, provides for the de-
mOlitIon of the forts and limits the
armed force Of the Transvaal TO a num-
Der deemed sufficient to maintain inter-
nal order
A - osot iN,,
the convention viii demand that the
diplomatic agencies be suppressed and
the judiciary be made independent of
the executive. This statment, which
realizes the extreme demands of the
outlandeTs, must be accepted under re-
serve at the present stage, but it is not
unlikely to be a semi official hint as to
the next move of the Government
should President Kruger prove obstin-
ate.
The morning paper editorials re-
garded the crisis as having reached its
most acute phase. The Daily News
says: We refuse to believe that Presi-
dent Kruger is so foolish as to reject
Mr. Chamberlain's moderate demands"
The Daily Chronicle, which appeals
again to Mr.. Kruger Ito accept while 1t
is yet time and before England's terms
become harder" says: "A refusal Of
the present terms will involve the ruin
of the State over which President Kru-
ger presides. The British Government
have played their first and second
moves in the game and must perforce
play the third and then the fourth. If
Mr. Kruger haggles the sinister condi-
tions in South Africa will grow worse
until a catastrophe is reached"
Other papers talk of the mminence
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 as
sert that Mr.. Conyngham Greene, Brit
ish diplomatic agent at Pretoria, knew
it was their intention to adopt the at
titude they have regarding suzerainty
and that he tacitly encouraged them,
as the documents show. His forty
eight hour demand and the string Of
blue book innuendos, for which he and
Sir Alfred Miner are responsible, have
produced an official atmosphere in
which anything is possible. At the
same time Mr. Hofmeyer and practi-
cally every member of the Cape Afri-
kander party have wired, urging ac-
ceptance Of the British demands"
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Times, in his forecast of the Trans
walls reply, declares that the Beers
will lay stress on the seven years fran
ch1Se law, though OUerlng to consider
their suggestions as to it's working and
for the rest take their stand in the Lon
don convention.
The Times says: 1--WE cannot believe
that President Kruger will reject the
latest proposals Of the Government, and
we would remind him that even Mr.
Morley has indorsed the five-year fran
chise and urged him TO accept the Cape
Town conference"
It is understood that a Cabinet Coun-
ell will be summoned as soon as the
Transvaal's reply is received.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Manchester Guardian, telegraphing Fri
day. SAYS: THE situation has become
grave. The material changes
in the draft of the reply delivered to
Mr. Greene to-day are due to represen-
tations from Bloemfontein and the dis
patch is not of the Volksraad."
The dispatch then gives what pur-
ports to be a summary of the reply.
which is similar to the other forecasts,
as follows: 1.-THE Transvaal
feels at liberty to depart from the joint
inquiry, which she accepted in the bona
fde belief that it would lead to final
settlement"
The correspondent adds: Both the
residents and the Executive Council
re firmly convinced that no ffnality is
ltended and that further concessions
'-ould only postpone the struggle. The
Transvaal regards herself as tricked
into a proposal by Mr.. Chamberlain
The Orange Free State will certainly
stand bV the TranSVaal"