The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-03
THE BoER POSITION.

THE BOER POSITION.
President Kruger. of the South African
Republic, is wise in his generation, unless
the Digger News of London is misln-
formed.
To the average wayfaring observer It
would be difficult to say what England's
ultimate purposes are in the region of
the Transvaal. The purpose Of her pres
ent colonial secretary at least is to
demonstrate to the Beers that they will
do as the British authorities demand they
shall do, or they will 'trek' much fur
Their and fare even much worse than they
have IN the past. The so-called Brum-
magem statesman has come as near TO
demonstrating this proposition as he ever
can without resorting to armed force
What Mr.. Gladstone on a memorable
occasion, somewhat less appositely than
was usual with him, declared to be the
resources of civilization have been
brought to bear on the very shrewd head
of the Boer government and he has sue
cumbed. That is the meaning of the
latest apparently authentic news from
the Transvaal
Now, the sympathies of every sincere
lover Of liberty among a brave people
struggling against adverse circumstances
will naturally go out to President Kruger
and his people in their present extremity;
Int into at
the same time satisfy such that Presi-
dent Kruger if the current reports be
true, has done that which any brave and
patriotic man would dc in like circum,
stances. He has, as the O b e felt
that he would do from the outset, accept
ed the inevitable. And as it is the I'M
lieve always happens, so it is the inevi-
table that is the right and the proper
| thing to do in this case
| For what reason have the Beers been
period of residence to qualify for citizen
ship in the little republic? Palpably for
the same reasons that would animate a
! peaceful and independent man who
sought to protect his own against the
onset Of a powerful neighbor or dar-
| ing criminal. 1t is the desire to protect
himself and his own. The Beers, since
| the day that they left Capt Town to avoid
the aggressions of the English, and went
out into the vast wildernesses of Africa
to build themselves a new home, have
sought to preserve themselves and Gig
Nifty their mission of self-preservation by
| building up a new nation. They have
shown themselves to be a sturdy lot.
They have beaten the English at their
the lion has not sufficed to cover up
their weakness they have not hcsitated
to exc it ouJ with the skin of the fox
| That is all that the present apparent sur
render of Kruger means. He has made
concessions. He stood in the path of
civilization. And especially
British civilization-is inexorable.
1t is not quite plain what "a "seven
years retrospective franchise" means, but
at least it means enough probably to
meet the requirements of Krugers Brit
ish masters, and he succumbs for the
time being. 1t would be hard to say
whether the Beers have won more by
their long narrOw-bore rifles or by their
diplomacy in dealing with British ag-
! gression; but it is none the less true that
! they have won more by both combined
! from q great and aggressive power than
any other people of such narrow re-
sources have Won in all time, the Swiss
alone excepted.
Let rs hope that Paul Kruger may long
be spared to this brave people. He has
won q niche in fame little less honor
able than that occupied by the leaders
of the Schwy%men in their defense of
Swiss nationality against the Hapsburgs.
His people are not yet nation in the
sense that they have any part in the
conference OF nations; but unless the
force of modern progress drives them
from existence they will, if blessed with
leadership such as that they have en-
ioyed under Kruger, reach even that
eminence in time.