New-York tribune., 1899-06-11
THE NEWS OFTWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
THE TRANsvAAL COMPLICATIONS
FORBEARANCE OF THE FOREIGN oFFrcn~
CRITICISM OF PRESIDENT MKINLEYs
CIVIL SERVICE ORDER
IsY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.I


GsY CABLE TO THE rnIBuSEI
London, June 1O-Mr Chamberlain asserts
that situation has been created in the
Transvaal by the failure Of the Conference. and
the English press is eager TO take his word for
IT, but neither he nor they explain intelli-
gibly how this impasse alters the conditions and
obligations OF treaty law. The truth is that the
old situation created by the treaty made with
the Transvaal fifteen years ago remains un-
altered That convention was clumsily drawn.
hut Lord Derby officially interpreted It at the
time a pledge that the British Government
would not impose upon the TransvaaI any la
hility 10 Intervention in internal affairs. Eng
land under Gladstone's initiative bound herself
hand and foot in transport OF magnanimity
and self-dcnial. and her pledges now remain to
hamper her when many thousands Of her
citizens are deprived OF their just rights. The
cid situation il maintained by the requirements
Of national honor and an explicit pledge against
Interference in the domestic affairs of the Dutch
Republic
A new situation will arise when the British
Government decides that the grievances Of the
Outlanders exceed the moral obligation imposed
by the treaty. and that coercion is necessary to
bring the Boers TO their senses. Probably Mr..
Chamberlain would like to take this stand at
once but Lord Salisbury is Prime Minister, and
prefers to make haste slowly.
The full details OF the negotiations published
to-day show that Sir Alfred Miner, who N
most capable man. took UP strong ground In ask
ing for the full franchise for every foreigner
with five years residence. and also for a mod
crate increase in the representation Of the Out
Il nder districts. President Kriger met this
reasonable demand with counter proposal for
a clumsy, dilatory and vexatous system Of
naturalization by which Outlanders after two
years notice would remain five additional years
Without citizenship in any country. President
KRUGER also offered an increase Of representa-
tlcn in the gold fields district No compromise
being possible. the two negotators parted with
polite bows on each side, but with the main
points in fevor of Kr0ger 1t is easy for him TO
outplay Miner Chamberlain and Rhodes year
after year when the British Government, by its
action in 1884, put all the trumps in hic hand:
and there has not been new deal. In this way
he manages to maintain the reputation OF being
the only man in the world who succeeds in
ihwarting the imperial policy and in out
maneuvring great Enslishmen like Mr.. Cham
berlain and Mr. Rhodes His chief resource Is
inertia. and when the British Government n
enmeshed with its own moral obligations, this
suffices TO enable MIN TO hold his ground.
There is much strong writing in journals like
THE Times" ard The Standard" and the only
plea FOR the requirements Of plighted national
faith Is made by "The Manchester Guardian:
but It is not clear that Lord Salisbury is pre-
pared TO act boldly and create new situation
in South Africa. He is evidently afraid of Libera.
criticism, is shown by the fact that Sir Alfred
Miners proposals for reform are identical with
Lord Ripons programme in 1854. The Imperial
Government will answer the petition OF British
subjects in the Transvaal and hold the Boer
Government responsible for disorders caused by
legitimate grievances. but it is not yet ready 20
apply coercive measures
Lord Charles Beresford. who has been con-
tent to maintain a neutral attitude for long
time. made powerful speech in the House yes
terday on the China question The Government
has not been exposed 10 such destructive criti-
cisrn for long time: no candid friend told
a more wholesome truth. He exposed the shall
lowness Of the talk about the open door when
the door had been closed by Russian license 10
interfere with commercial enterprise like the
Northern Chinese Railway; he charged the Cow
ernment with wanton neglect 10 do anything 10
develop British trade in China he taunted Mr..
Bafour and Sir Michael Hicks Beach with their
empty menaces and reproached Lord Salisbury
with abandoning in the Russian agreement the
two principles for which he had been pretending
to make a firm stand. namely, preferential rail-
way rates and definition OF the Yang-tse VAL
ley II any Liberal leader would talk out in this
spirited way, the Opposition would carry both
the Edinburgh by-eections now pending. The
attack was evidently expected. for Sir John
Broderick covered the feeble defence Of the
Government by the welcome announcement that
arrangements had been made for protecting
British trade on the great river Of Central China
by gunboats and cruisers for a distance OF q
thousand miles.
The Peace Congress has fallen into the back
ground this week owing 10 the superior at
fractions OF South Africa and the French
hurly-burly. but II is apparent that the main
result Of the session will be a recommendation
to all the governments represented that concert
ed measures shall be taken for establishing
international court OF arbitration. The Man
chester Guardian" gives a novel turn to the dis
cussion by suggesting that this court shall have
a special bureau for dealing with native ques-
tions with Tribunus Plebus at the head who
will try TO prevent armed conflicts with semi
civilized and savage races Ike Samoans and
Ffipinos The English suggestion that the
Filipinos ought 10 be treated as wards in Chan
cery under new fiction OF international law
providing for the guardianship OF the rights OF
minors OF civilization is signal proof that the
American policy in the South Seas is not alto
gether Ineligible 10 foreigners. The comment
now often heard in England is that full use has
not been made by the Administration In power
Of the victories OF the war and the results OF
peace negotiations.
The English press watches American anairs
closely these days and is az critical about them
- 4, is a hout the action OF It's own Government
al home or abroad The Spectator" which IL
an honest admirer of America. notes to-day
with intense regret that the President has issued
an order releasing four thousand Offices from
the operation OF the Civil Service rules. and
.nrninr them nyer 10 politlcians. II naryels