The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
GREAT BRITAIN AND rAu eorRs
By John J. Ingalls,.

oREAT BRITAIN AND THU BoER,
By John J. Ingalls,.
The situation in South Africa is nj
ironical commentary on the peace con
ference at the Hague and the propose
ot the Car for the disarmament of ns
tlons. Before the wax ON the seal G
the credentials of her delegates was col
England was deliberately and wantonl
forcing quarrel upon President Kruge
on trumped-up and baseless pretense fo
the purpose of destroying the indepent
ence Of the Transvaal republic. Havin
succeeded in forcing an ultimatum, sh
Is now assembling an army greater thai
the entire native Boer population
larger than the aggregate of the force
under Wellington at Waterloo, an,
Raglan in the Crimea, for the purpos,
OF obliterating little commonwealth
whose area is less than that of Montan,
and whose citizenship is exceeded b,
scores of cities in the state of New
York.
Having been snubbed and kicked and
cuifed by all the great powers of Europe
subjected to indignities, to which she
submitted without protest, England
now makes an enormous military
demonstration against an insurgent
community, as discredited slugger
avenges himself for the insults of his
equals by indiscriminate assault upon
cripples and women and children, and
this war of conquest--the most brutal
and indefensible of all crimes against
human rights-is waged in the name of
civilization 1t should not be forgotten
that the Boer republic has been an es.
tablished, independent, sovereign re.
public. 1t had the same right to exist
as Germany or France or the United
States. BY the convention at Pretoria
in 1881, England conceded its autonomy
and again, by the London convention OF
1884, it was formally and definitely
agreed that the Transvaal republic
should be supreme in its international
administration; that it should make no
treaty with powers other than theOrange
Free State without the consent and APP
proval of Great Britain. There is no pre-.
tense that these stlpulations have been
violated in the present con-
tention. The foreign relations
,f the Beers are not in ques-
lion, nothing is involved except the
conditions upon which naturalization,
he franchise and representation are
granted to immigrants and foreigners.
These are matters Of internal policy and
TO be determined by the
rransyaal government as IL ices fit.
The regulations may be satisfactory to
england, or otherwise. but by inter
law she has no more right TO
neddle than she has 10 interfere with
uffrage in the United States or with
he methods Of taxation in Russia. The
lain that the Beers are an obstacle TO
he onward march Of civilization is a
'retext eqnally impudent and blasphem-
'us. They are neither better nor worse
han they were when Lord Derby
reated with them fifteen years ago at
sondon. They are race Of fairly edu.
ated, industrious sober farmers. They
IRE peaceable, much given 10 hospitality
md deeply religious; they love liberty
md are devoted TO the principles OF
Originally settled in Cape Colony, they
led from the tyranny Of the British 10
Natal sixty years ago. Pursued by their
enemy in their new abode,
hey again emigrated and set up their
homes and altars, like the Puritans of
New England, and the pioneers Of the
West, in the wilderness, surrounded by
savage foes, and there they remained
with such degree Of civilization as con-
tented them and disturbed no one else,
I'm the discovery OF the diamond fields
in Kimberly and the gold reefs OF the
Witewatersrand Quite likely they are
not as polished in their manner or as
refined in their ways Of life as the
English gentlemen who fgurged in the
scandals; possibly
they were not more honest than the
guina pigs of British nobility who sold
their names to the promoters OF swind
ling corporations; or the comrades Of
the Prince of Wales who cheated at
cards; but they were hardy, seli-reliant
and prone TO the enjoyment OF domes-
tic life.
IL may be that the government Of
Paul Kruger is narrow, proscriptiye
and intolerant; but II the Beers are
satisfied it is no concern OF England
There are other governments which
are not ideal and none are perfect.
Portraits OF Dom Paul show that he has
no more beauty than without candle
would go dark TO bed. The cut OF his
whiskers is not up to date, his clothes
do not fit, his countenance betrays ig-
norance, craft and obstinacy; but he Is
the legitimate ruler Of a sovereign state
as much as William Mckinley OF
Kaiser wilhelm. IL is said that Mrs'
Kruger cooks for the family, makes the
bed and waits on guests at the table
But none OF these characteristics and
conditions menaced Anglo-saxon eiyi
uzation or threatened the stability Of th'
British Empire until 1885, when gold