The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-13
RIVER RTILETIN.
*Spn High
Washington time q p. m. St. PauD.
THE rREIs STATES ATTITUDE.

The text of the proclamation issued by
the Orange Free State, which has ap-
peared in these columns, furnishes in
spring reading to the friends of liberty
in South Africa 1t reveals the Free
State Beers as being if possible, Of
more heroic mold than their Transvaal
brethren. They have voluntarily taken
upon themselves the fuldllment by the
sword of the obligations arising both from
national kinship and express treaty. 1t
would be very easy for them to have ig
nored any duty which the extreme view
of national loyalty might impose on them.
It IS quite apparent that the citizens Of
the Free State expect no better treatment
from England in any event than the
Transvaal has received. Their experience
In regard to the Kimberley diamond mines
has satisfied them that British agrees
sion will not stop at the TransvaaL
AS there is a determined purpose on
the part of the British empire to
assume absolute control and owner
ship Of Afrikander territory, it may
be said that the Free State people are
but making a virtue Of necessity in join
Ing hands with their cousins of the Trans
vaal. Antecedent events, however, do not
sustain this view The most strenuous
efforts were put forth by President Steyn
and his associates in the government Of
the Orange Free State to secure a peace
f1r1 o1f Of ~
President Steyn felt himself at liberty, as
has recently been shown, to assure the
British government of the acceptance by
the Transvaal republic of the suzerainty
of England He persisted in his eff
forts to secure peace after 1t was plain
to all others of the interested parties that
matters could only be settled finally by
war. 1t is thus made apparent that the
splendid attitude taken by the Free State
people is not the product of any mere mil
itary spirit, or of any disposition to un-
derestimate the dangers of the situation.
1t is a deliberate proffer of friendship to
a weak and beleaguered people which is
the offspring Of a refusal to ignore ma
tionaI and moral obligation.
In considering the proclamation of the
Free State it is worth while to recall the
remarkable fact that, in all official publ
cations by the British government thus
far made, all reference has been sup
pressed to the communication received
by Sir Alfred Miner, on Sept. 27, from
President Steyn. That dispatch contained
a declaration of unbroken friendship to
Great Britain. 1t also contained Presi-
dent Steyn's assurance that he would Sc
cure from the Transvaal it's unqualified
acceptance of Great Britains claim as
the paramount power, as defined in the
convention Of 1884. Now, since the main
tenance of a state of war by England
against the Transvaal Is rested upon the
determination at all hazards to maintain
the position of paramount power in South
Africa, the omission of this dispatch Of
President Steyn must be taken as another
serious item Of evidence of the total lack
of good faith on the part of England
throughout the recent negotiations. 1t is
not surprising under such circumstances
that the London Chronicle should de-
clare: 80 far as we can see, the gulf
which Mr.. Chamberlain described as sep
arating him and President Kruger would
have been completely bridged if the offer
(of President Steyn) had been made
known and acted upon"
1t is under such conditions as these
that the Orange Free State takes up the
cause of the Transvaal. Everything which
has transpired thus far between the ma
lions thus at war seems to demand the
most cordial sympathy on the part of the
United States toward the two South Afri-
can republics and more especially toward
the little state which has so nobIy come
to the aid of It's sister republic.