The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-28
A MORNING WITH KRUGER.
Many PecuIiarities of the Transvaal
President.

London Mail.
Does he ever wash? is the first thought
when one enters the presence. Does he ever
do anything but smoke, and drink coHee,
and spit? 1t is very early in the morning,
not yet s; he is seated on the stoep (porcn)
as two soldiers announce your name. Al
ready he has listened TO the morning paper,
read to him by that notorious person, Col.
Ferreira. You mark the heavy jowl, the
Semitic nose. the broad insincerity OF the
blue eye. the. thin white hair greasily flow
Ing in folds, with anxious endeavor to con-
ceal the dirty circle of coat collar. Again
you wonder, does he ever wash! The heavy
figure of Lincolnshire farmer is clad in
decayed black. Loose Tapping coat, high
buttoned waistcoat, the wide fat-fronted
trousers. all bear the marks of coffee, tobac-
co juice and wear Most extraordinary Of
all. verging on the grotesque, is he when
adorned with the green scarf Of office, like
past master of some friendly society.
There is no majesty, there is no greatness,
there Is nothing attractive, the force of
character is not apparent He does not
speak to you; he roars at YOU His forcible
remarks are punctuated by resounding
Flows on his knee, or on the unucky in
vor Of his bellowings occasionally releases
the brown pipe stem from the clutch of
browner teeth.
The humor of the man is irascible, the
manner overbearing. Years of absolute gov
erning and enormous wealth have en-
gendered an mtolerant spirit Of domlneer-
Ing. Were he not q President he might
nave succeeded as a philosopher. With all
the vices or Epictetus he lacks many of his
virtues. An arrogant appearance of humil-
Ivy consciously parades all the rugged in
republic. Since he cannot dazzle, he at
tempts TO inspire a superstitious awe: and,
TOO little to appear great in the ordinary
ha nap, ana manner of man, he magnifies him
sell by increasing his idioSyncrasies, and
peculiarities.
The. contemplation of the man himself.
though unpleasant, is necessary to estima tie
the enormous influence he till now has pos
sessed. A European statesman NAV act up
to his part-he seldom dresses down to II
Inc OLD millionaire of Pretoria knows the
vaiue or affecting rusticity in appearance.
and secures by 1t many a vote already half
persuaded by the Judicious distribution of
His public complaint has always been "to
De let alone; and having ingenuously OBJ
s - tnat modest Immunity, he erects on
IL right to noninterferece. and has for
independence
In the Israelites of old he finds prototype
Tor his people in the possession of their
Promised Land. hemmed round by the ever
lntruding Philstines-hmself by turns a
Moses or an Aaron. making law and dis
missing his chief justice or officiating in
the nigh place at the holy communion
That secret service fund he established
ana supported by grants of state moneys.
and wisely commenced with the members of
the executive, who alone had any control
over the application of the fund. A jealous
student OF history he drew inspiration from
Walpole'S system of conscience money and
strengthened his position by pulling the
state purse strings for the benefit OF power
full supporters
Even the secret service fund has produced
more enemies than friends. The Dutch in
cape Colony are unrighteously indignant [
the scanty recognition of their poverty
In view of the approaching end of the
corrupt republic" it is amusing to remem-
per that Ii was but a few moons ago DIR
Leyds paid state secretarial visit to AL
buquerque. at Delagoa bay The nominal
subject was native labor for the mines. the
real object a Boer port and the South Afri-
Albuquerque return that visit with even
greater state? Was he not lodged and fed
toria? al = 80
Was 1t not Paul Kruger who at that ever
o-oe-remembered lunch lifted his glass to
ms natural ally, Portugal? What hopes
then engendered are now dashed forever
Inc decline OF his authority presages his
natural dissolution, and when the last page
is turned what can he say? If he has been
the genius of his country he has been the
pohtlcal tarantula of South Africa.