Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-20
LIVELY SCENES In COMMONS
Two Members Arraigned for Expressing
Sympathy for Beers.
CHAMBERLAIN REPLIES TO CRITICISMS
Colonial Secretary Defends Action of
Government in Dealing with
Kruger and Blnmcs the
Beers for war.


the secretary of state for the colonies
Joseph Chamberlain on the governments !
policy in South Africa.
Mr.. Balfour, in reply to an Interpolation |
as to whether the imperial government was
now reviewing the action Of the Cape Colony
premier, Mr.. Schreiner and other members
of the Cape government and as to whether
the governor of Cape Colony, Sir Alfred
Miner, would be allowed to dismiss the
Schreiner ministry, to dissolve the Cape leg
islature and temporarily to assume full au-
thority, said
This question is apparently founded upon
newspaper reports for which, so far as the
imperial government is aware, there Is no
foundation"
Henry Seton-Karr, conservative, in ac-
cordance with notice given yesterday, asked
the first lord of the treasury whether the
attention of the government had been di
rected to certain speeches and letters by and
emanating from the members for Kilkenny
and East Glare, Messrs. Patrick OBrien
and William Redmond, Parnelltes, advo-
eating the cause of the Beers, attempting to
seduce British soldiers and melting them
actively to assist the enemies of the queen,
and what action, If any, the government
proposed to take in the matter.
Mr.. Redmond rose quickly and said that
before the first lord of the treasury replied
he desired to ask him whether it were not
fact that he (Mr Redmond) in suggesting
message of sympathy to President Kruger
had only followed the precedent set by her
majesty's grandson, the German emperor
cloud laughter.)g
Mr.. Balfour replied as follows:
II was not aware that the honorable mem
Der for East Glare framed himself upon such
an august model. CLaughter). l may point
out among the differences between himself
and the emperor of Germany that his i'm
perial majesty is not Brtisher nor mem
Der of this house,
Chamberlain Critfcises Opposition.
Mr.. Chamberlain, who was loudly cheered
on rising, began with a severe criticism of
the action of the opposition at the previous
meeting of Parliament Their statements.
ne said, were calculated to encourage Presi-
dent kruger's resistance and to embarrass
the government in most difficult and most
critical functions"
Referring to Mr.. Stanhope's demand yes-
terday for the production of his Chamber
lalns) letter to Hawkesly, he said he would
gladly produce this If Sir William Vernon
Harcourt and John Morley, who were mem
bers of the South African committee. de-
manded it. Mr.. Stanhope's criticism. he
characterized as neither honest nor honor
able"
The speaker, William Court Gully, inter-
Vened, saying that the language Of the col
onial secretary was beyond parliamentary
bounds .s..
pUssTpfe adeqdately to describe Mr.. Stan
hopes accusation that he (Mr. Chamberlain)
and Sir Alfred Miner had fomented war.
Dealing with the criticisms made upon the
South African league he said he could not
claim acquaintance with a single member
OF it. TIE league was one of the poorest
pecuniarily, but at the same time most rep
resentative political organizations ever es-
tablished.
With regard to the allegations respecting
his own associations with Cecil Rhodes, he
| declared that from the time of the Jameson
raid he had had no communication either
direct or indirect with Mr.. Rhodes on any
subject connected with South African policy.
He had seen that gentleman with reference
| to the Cape to- Cairo railway project and
with reference to Rhodesia, but the conver-
sations had never touched upon the subjects
now under discussion and he would remind
the house that Mr.. Rhodes, although a mil
lionaire, had gone to face danger at Kim.
berley. (Cheers.)
|
Passing to the general question of the
governments South African policy, Mr.
Chamberlain said that in the light of re-
cent events and of the utterances OF Pres
ident Kruger he had come to the conclu
sion that war had always been inevitable
although 1t was only of late that he hat
himself most reluctantly reached this view
He had hoped for peace and striven t
maintain 1t; and up to recent date he ha
believed that peace was possible. He ha
always been determined to secure justic
, for the Britishers in South Africa and t
maintain the paramountcy of Great Britain
: : but with those things assured, he desire
peace. Whenever there had been doubt a
= to President Kruger's motives the govern
ment had always given him the benefit {
the doubt.
Turning to the principles involved in tn
> war the colonial secretary went on to say:
u "If we maintain our existence as a grei
power in South Africa We are bound
l. show that we are willing and able to prt
o tect British subjects wherever they ha'
IS suffered injustice and oppression. Gre
Is Britain must remain the paramount pow
in South Africa. ! do not mean paramou
ID in the German and Portuguese possession
"a but in the two republics and British co
to onies. Everyone on both sides of the hou
ic | determined 10 lutst great pTl
ut ciples, The peace of South Africa depen
upon Great Britain accepting responsible
in the Transvaal.
" "The Boer oigarchy has placed Britt
" subjects in a position of inferiority; a
what would have been the British positi
of II they had submitted to that inferiority
BOer Treatment of Natives.
Referring to the relations of the Boz
with the natives, Mr.. Chamberlain said:
We "There is one subject not dealt with
or the blue book. l mean the disgraceful BC
an treatment of the natives, unworthy of
X civilized power In 1896 / actually sent
he message to Sir Hercules Robinson for
de Transvaal respecting the treatment of
ire natives Then came the Jameson raid a
.e- our South African officials decided that II
could not with proprety present the m
,ge sage. The Beers in their own wo
IN trekked because they wanted to wallop
,rk niggers.'
of John Dillon cried: THAT is not true.
So This was followed by loud demands for
der and the speaker called upon Mr.. Dill
the to withdraw the remark The latter
ers sponded:
to 81 have not impeached the veraclty of
or colonial secretary"
ad- The speaker: II hope such expressi
lcil will not occur again"