The labor world., 1899-10-07


n HE following reminiscent article on
President Kruger was contributed
tokhe Boston Pilot by a correspon-
dent Who has known the Boer leader in
timately throughout the past twenty
years Of his careef:
October 10, 1925. His parents were
Boer farmers, residing in Cape Colony.
too poor to provide Paul with shoes.
The future ruler of the South African
Republic had to trudge over the South
African "veldt" in his bare feet. He
was christened S. J. Paul Kruger, but
the two initials were soon disused,
though President Kruger uses them in
signing state papers. Fear was un-
known to Kruger from boyhood. When
he was in his seventeenth year his IA
ther asked him to take home his span
Of oxen and an empty wagon. He was
accompanied by his little sister.
Paul." said his father, take care Of
your sister.
IT WILL" he said simply.
Il In those days travelling in Cape Col
3ny was anything but a picnic. Wild
animals were plentiful, and many a
traveller became a prey to these beasts.
Everything went well until Paul was
within about five miles of home. Here
a large panther made his appearance.
The oxen took fright and bolted. The
jostling of the wagon threw the little
girl to the ground, where she was at
thea mercy of the ferocious animal.
Without moments hesitation young
INN ha nd
ran to his sisters assistance. The pan
ther stood with cleaning eyes over the
PROSTATE child. Kruger was unarm-
ed, but without moments hesitation
he engaged the panther in hand-to-
ha1d battle. 1t was a fierce battle.
Time and again the angry beast clawed
Kruger cruelty, but his courage and
strength never failed him. Like a bull
dog he held his grip upon the panthers
throat until he strangled the beast to
death. Kruger was badly lacerated.
Blood flowed from many wounds, but
Notwithstanding his injuries he carried
his faipting sister home. This exploit
made him the hero Of the sturdy Beers
in that section. It was the first indi
cation of the latent powers that dwelt
in the coming ruler Of the Transvaal.
From boyhood Kruger hated the
English with a hatred which has only
increased with years. His boast was
that some day he would raise ar
to fight the English. When Krue------
young his people moved to the Orange
Free State, and later to the Trans.
4 ssaal. The first time T met Paul T'ixru3
ger was in Pretoria in 1879. Though
past fifty years Of age, he was a Her
cules in physique, standing over six
feet in his stockings, and strongly
built, without an ounce Of superfluous
flesh on his body. He and Joubert
were then arraying the Beers for the
great struggle with England, which
came in 1881, securing for the Beers the
Fight of self-government. In those days
Kruger was poor compared with his
wedfth today. He had a large family,
to which he was devotedly attached.
When met him over fifteen years
later, although the president Of the re-
public, he was as unassumtng as In
earlier days. He asked me to BIS his
yuest, and in his parlor in Pretoria we
talked Of old days. Kruger had aged
considerably in the fifteen years. He
sto0ped somewhat, but the fire of youth
cleaned in his eyes, and age seemed
unable to dim his ardor. My CONVEX
sation with him was carried on
through his secretary. loom" Paul
can speak English fluently, but under
no circumstances will he carry on a
conversation in that Language. This
procedure when in conversation with
British officials gives him an Opportu-
nifty to collect his thoughts before re-
plying. He is an inveterate smoker
seen at home without a long pipe in
his mouth. At his side is a large Gus
pf4orfe which he uses freely.
The Motto of President Kruger for
yRars has been Patrick Henry's men,
orable utterance, "Give me liberty or
give me DEATH" This sentence, trans
lated into Boer language, hangs hand
somely framed in his parlor. This he
roic Roer ruler is almost devoid of
learning. What education he has was
hard to Secure. Yet he has baffled
men Of learning by his sagacity. His
knowledge Of human nature is wonder
full. Once in johannesburg there was
an eleched board of health which was
becoming daily more powerful. The
members were mostly English,s among
them being a Mr.. Holt, who was ultra
English in his views. This board was
the only hope of the British element
for securing control Of johannesburg.
In No4ember, 1894, President Kruger
issued an edict that only the Boer Ian
guage could be used at the meetings Of
the fealth board and only those who
could speak the language were quail
fled to be members. The English fum-
ed, butAhere was nothing to do but re-
sign. The Boer language is as hard to
Harn as the Chinese.
In November, 1894, was President
Kruger's kguest when he drove home
the lakt spike in the Delagoa Bay rail-
way, Which connects Pretoria with
Delagoa Bay. It was an inspiring
scene wien the presidential train ar
rived at RrOnkhOrSt Spruit AS the