The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-14
Mr.. Chamberlain Says the Govern
the Bloemfontein Conference.
STATEMENT In THE COMMONS
DENIAL OF RUMOR CONCERNING CAR
met DISAGREEMENT.
Mr.. Chamberlain Not to Leave for the
Contipent-PrOceedings of the
Hague Peace Conference.

LONDON, June 13.-The secretary Of state
for the colonies. Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain,
answering a question in the House of Com
mons to-day. said the government would
await full reports of the recent conference
at Bloemfontein between President Kruger
and the British high commissioner, Sir AL
fred Miner, before sending the latter further
instructions.
In reply to a question as to the delay
attending the memorandum OF Sir Alfred
Miner until after it's actual receipt by the
English agents in the Transvaal, Mr..
Chamberlain said this was due to a tempo
rary break in the cable and to the fact that
the memorandum had been mtrusted to a
news agency rather than sent as preferred
government message, as was the case with
the Transvaal message. When he heard Of
the delay he said he instructed Sir Alfred
Miner to send in future all messages as
preferred"
A blue book issued tonight contains the
reply of Mr.. Chamberlain to the petition OF
the uitlanders to her Majesty's govern
ment, which was mailed from the Cape on
May 10. The secretary of the colonies
freely admits that there are substantial
grounds for the complaints embodied in the
petition which he proceeds to discuss at
length, emphasizing those affecting the per-
sonal rights of the uitlanders, which in
fringe the spirit. he says, if not the letter of
the Londo convention. Great Britain, he
continues, is not willing to depart from her
| attitude of reserve, but cannot permanent
ly ignore the arbitrary treatment of the
| ~uitlanders and the indifference of the re-
| public to her friendly representations"
| Mr.. Chamberlain points out a policy that
i mould ra-,ora all Vrofavt 20 ;ntarxrapfinn
| and suggests a conference between Sir AL
fred Miner and President Kruger, in which
he leaves Miner a free hand, laying stress
upon the question of the franchise in the
| Transvaal and instructing the British rep
resentative that IL his suggestions In this
regard are not fairly received he need not
urge any further attempt at discussion.
In the House of Commons this evening
| Mr.. Chamberlain admitted, In reply to Ques-
lions, that the government had received in
formation that the Transvaal government
was distributing arms and ammunition
among the Beers In the British colony on
| Natal and arming its W subjects against
| Great Britain.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Henry La
| bouchere, Liberal member for Northamp-
ton, as to whether President Kruger's re-
quest for arbitration on all points OF future
| difference had been refused by Sir Alfred
Milner at the Bloemfontein conference,
| Mr.. Chamberlain said that the British high
| commissioners for South Africa had been
| somewhat unsupported. Sir Alfred Miner
had distinctly refused to arbitrate all
questions, but had said there might be
| some susceptible of settlement in that way,
| though not by a foreign power. Mr.. Cham
| beriain then asserted that since the Bloem-
| fontein conference MI. Kruger had sub
| mitted a proposal contemplating that the
| president of the arbitration board should be
| a foreigner.
Special Importance was attached TO the
| Cabinet council which took place this morn
| ing. 1t lasted a couple of hours. and 1t is
| believed the ministers finally determined on
| the policy to be adopted toward the Trans
| vaal. Rumors were current to-day OF a
| disagreement in the Cabinet, and 1t was
| even limited that Mr.. Chamberlain would
| resign. The rumor, however, proved to be
| untrue. Mr.. Chamberlain was absent from
the House yesterday. and to-day 1T was ru-
| mored that he and his wife would start
| for Paris and Lausanne during the course
| of the week. 1t is quite unprecedented for
| Mr.. Chamberlain to leave the country during
| the session. and this, in conjunction with the
L ldlh u u III tHo
the Transvaal, was taken to mean that Mr..
| Chamberlain had decided to leave office.
| Later, however, an authoritative denial was
| made of the report that Mr.. Chamberlain
was going to the continent.
The Daily Mail says: THE Cabinet council
| yesterday (Tuesday) was unanimous that
| steady pressure should be exercised and It's
| policy backed up by an adequate increase of
i tho British forces in South Africa
The Cape Town correspondent of the Daily
| Mail says: THE Cape Colony Cabinet has
| addressed a remonstrance to the imperial
| government. arguing that 1T would be mad
| visable to exert immediate pressure upon
| the Transvaal and expressing a desire that
| President Kruger be given time to recon-
| slider the position. The Cabinet pleads that
| the Beers in Cape Colony would become in
| tractable IL extreme measures were taken"
PROGRESS AT THE HAGUE.