The Dickinson press., 1899-09-23
THE TRANsVAAL REPLY.
Krugar's Answer To the Latest Dispatcl
From Chnmbe rlatn.

Kruger's Answer to the Latest Dispatch
From Chamberlain.
PRETORIA, Sept. lS,-The reply of the
government of the South African Re-
public to the latest dispatch from the
British secretary of state for the coll
onies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, after
acknowledging the receipt of the Brit
ish note, proceeds in part as follows:
"The. government deeply regrets the
withdrawal, as the government under
stands it, of the invitation contained in
the British dispatch of Aug. %, and the
substitution, i'll place thereof, of an en-
tirely new proposal.
1.-The proposals, now fallen through,
contained in the Transvaal dispatches
of Aug. II, were elected from this gov
ernment by suggestions made by the
British diplomatic agent in Pretoria to
the Transvaal state secretary, sugges-
tions which this government
Acted Upon in Good Faitt,
and after specially ascertaining whether
they would be likely to prove accepta-
BILE to the British government. This
government had, by no means, an in,
tention to raise again needlessly the
question of its political status, but acted
with the sole object of endeavoring 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
proposal which this government deems,
both as regards its spirit and form, to
be so worded as, relying upon intima-
tions to this government, would satisfy
her majesty's government, This gov
ernnent saw difficulty as to the ac-
ceptance of those proposals by the peo-
pie and legislature of the Transvaal
and also contemplated possible dangers
connected Herewith, but risked max
ing them on account of a
Sincere Desire to Secure Peace
and because assured by Mr.. Chamber
lain that such proposals would not be
deemed refusal Of his proposals but
would be settled on their merits.
'.As regards to 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, which
before was deemed necessary to explain
the complicated details of the seven
years. franchise, should now be deemed
unnecessary and which it should now
be thought necessary to declare inade-
quate.
Further there must be misappre-
hension if it be assumed that this gov
&0 1o1 Ia
for five years franchise and a quarter
representation of the new population
before the volksraad for unconditional
acceptance. AS to the language, this
government never made any offer such
as is referred to, considering, as it did,
such 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 ut
liberty to submit to the volksraad, and,
moreover, the subjects to be treated at
the conference remain underlined.
This government ardently desires
and gladly accepts arbitration, as i1a
firm intention is to adhere to the terms
to the London convention of 1884"
The reply concludes:
''If her majesty's government is will.
ing and feels .:ble to make this decision,
ajoint commission as at first proposed
by Mr.. Chamberlain, it would put an
end to the present state Of tension. Race
hatred would decrease and die out, and