Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-28
Will AID 1RANSVAAL
Orange Free State volksraad Casts
Its Fortunes With Trans.
vaal in War.
Resolution Passed Boldly Declaring
Britain in the Wrong and
UNFOLDING Kruger.
Gloomy Predictions Being Made in
South Africa-Sir Walter
Peace's Views.

volksraad of the Orange Free State tc
join the Transvaal in the event of hos
tilities is the leading news today. ano
will naturally stiffen the Beers inde-
pendent attitude. The resolution is as
follows:
The raad having read paragraph 2
OF the presidents speech and official
documents and correspondence sumbit-
ted Herewith, having regard for the
strained state of affairs throughout the
whole of South Africa, which has arisen
in consequence of the difference be-
tween the imperial government and the
| government of the Transvaal, which
\ threatens to lead to hostilties, the call
amitous consequences of which to the
inhabitants would be immeasurable; be
| ing connected with the Transvaal by
the closest ties of blood and confeder-
acy; and fearing, that should war
break out, hatred between European
races would be born which will arrest
and retard peaceful developments in all
states and colonies of Africa and deyel-
op distrust of the future; feeling that
solemn duty rests upon 1t of doing
everything possible to avoid the shed
ding of blood; considering that the
Transvaal government during the ne
gotiations with the imperial govern.
ment, which have extended over several
months, has made every endeavor to
arrive at peaceful solution of the diff
/ ferences raised by aliens in the Trans
vaal and taken UP by the imperial gov
ernment as its own cause, which en-
deavors have, unfortunately, had only
this result. that British troops wer,
concentrated on the border of the
Transvaal, and are still being strength
ened; be it
Resolved, That we instruct the gov
ernment to still use every means to
maintain and insure peace and in a
\ ipeacefuLsmantserc contribute toward the
Isolution of the existing difficulties, pro-
yided it can be done without violating
the honor and independence of the
Free State and Transvaal, and wishes
the ministry to make known its opin-
1 ion that there exists no cause for war
and that war against the Transvaal, a.
now undertaken or occasioned by the
| imperial government, will morally be
war against the whole white population
lof Africa and in its consequences Grim
inal. for, come what may, the Free
State will honestly and faithfully fulfill
Its obligations toward the Transvaal by
Virtue of the political alliance between
| the two republics.
| London, Sept. 2S.-Notices for the ad-
Ijourned cabinet council were forwarded
yesterday afternoon and the chief gov
lernment whip will be on hand to give
Immediate effect to any decision arrived
at regarding the reassembling of par
! lament. Information from Bloemfon-
Itein leaves little doubt that the Orange
Free State volksraad is unanimous in
supporting the Transvaal. Most inn
ton by a frank statement to the Asso-
ciated Press by Sir Walter Peace, agent
| general for Natal in London, who
fought against the Beers in former
Iyears. He said:
THE attitude of the Orange Free
State means it's inevitable acquisition
10y Great Britain. Peace in South Africa
can only be accomplished by war. In
my opinion war would not last more
than two months. In order to make pa
lcitication effective, Great Britain must
lassume absolute control over the whole
Iof South Africa.
! .All this talk about poor. undefended
Natal is nonsense. There will be little
lor no fighting in Natal If it comes to
war. and / fear that no other issue is
lnow possible. What do you think 10000
British troops would be doing while
Ithis much-talked-of Boer raid was in
progress? Our railways are in good
working order and our troops can be
transported quickly. The bad weather
conditions have been magnified. A cam
| paign could be carried on now as we'll
las in any other season.
Two months from the day Gen. Sir
Redvers Butler lands, the fighting will
be over. II the Free State had been
loyal. fighting would not have lasted
fourteen days. 1t is the luckiest thing
in the world, however, that the Free
State has been foolish enough to take
hostile attitude for that means her ad-
| d1tlOn to the 1orltlSIl possessions me
Free State would always have been a
disturbing factor in the quiet of South
/ Africa.
Great Britain has the power to work
out ultimate peace. 1t remains to be
seen whether she has the spirit.
II have known the Beers as we'll as
any man. have lived among them and
I have fought them. To exist peace
fully so close to them is an utter i'm
possibility. Negotiations are we'll
enough in their way, but British con-
| troll of the Transvaal must come event.
ually.
| MY idea is that If the Beers were
caught in the open once or twice the
thing would be ended. Kill 500 of them,
land all that would remain for England
to do would be to send few ship loads
OF Grape. They never have stood in the
open, and IL war comes now, they will
have to do more than stay in the hills.
This is not optimistic twaddle. but an
opinion based upon my experience in
campaigns against the Beers. I have