The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-20
A TRAVELLER FROM AFRICA
THE RET. ROBERT j. NETIN TALKS
or THE WAR WITH THE Beers.

Church In Rome and traveller who has visit cd
many interesting quarters OF the world, is in
New York. One OF his recent journeys was "a
South Africa, and he was able there TO study
the conditions OF the country under clrcum-
| stances possible to few visitors As tho inter-
view with him printed below shows. the
American clergyman acquired profound re-
| spect for the ability OF Cecil Rhodes. whom he
considers the greatest OF living Englishmen.
He Is convinced that the Beers are the people
to govern South Africa and expects to witness
their ultimate triumph In the present war.
| The uprising OF the blacks will. In his opinion,
DO matter OF only short time, and he thinks
| that they have already begun to fight In occa-
| sional bands. Dr. Nevn told Sun reporter
| his conclusions about South Africa In these
] words:
| Two years ago went 10 South Africa for
| my health. But found the life OF Cape Colony
unlntercstlnR. and pushed up to Rhodesla.
| had never mot Mr. Rhodes before went to
| South Africa. and was somewhat prejudiccd
| against him from what had heard. but l soon
| Jaw enough to convince me that he was man
| TO be ranked with the class which includes Bis
| marck. Gladstone and Gambetta. Last June.
| in London. saw him last and know then he
did not expect the war to come. He is devoted
| to the interests OF Africa. ard he tod me that
he intended TO take no more active
part in the politics oil Care Colony
than was required TO keep peace. He is alb
sorbed In the building OF the new railroad.
which he thinks will do more for the African
race than anything else. He thinks II will do
away with slave trade when II Is carried up to
the Zambezi. and is delighted that 1t is already
advanced as far "a II Is. He told me that he
had often dreamed that within thirty years or
moro the road might be built, but that tho
prospect OF being able to nnIsh II within nvo
or six years himself was something lie had
never thought or
The natives Of Matabe sand are devoted TO
him. They have not only made him their
chief. but look upon him as n sort OF god. aud
II is unfortunate for that reason that h. IL In
Kimberley now instead Of In Khodesla. for I
am certain that there will be an uprising OF the
blacks a. soon as they believe one side or the
other to be materially weakened. The MHta-
bees have great personal affection for
Rhodes. but they have no lo9e for the English.
and think there is scarcely q tribe OF blacks
that would rise on the English side. The
Basutos would fight for the Beers. and the
majority Of the blacks who took one side or the
other would also fight with them. Ibelievc that
the small skirmishes that the English are now
having are not with the Beers but with the
blacks. who have taken M arms already.
Il feel toward the war as | would II some
friend OF mine had done something wrong and
done II in a very ignoble way. Several causes
have com oned to produce il. Among these
are the desire OF the military to fight. for the
Boer Ia not always n pleasant person TO deal
with In close contact and they have frequently
tainted the English soldiers with their own
superiority as fighters. And another stronger
motive IL the protest against republicanism.
Care Colony. the Orange Free State. Natal aud
the Transvaal would all have formed United
States OF South Africa. every state with
autonomy. yet united. as this country is
Sir Alfred Minor was sert down TO
South Africa to discover what the extent Of
this Rerubican feeling wns. and he reported
that such union was in all probability inevi-
table. That was one motive which led to the
war. for England has no patience with repub-
lies In any form nnd hated 10 lose south Africa.
/ think that Cecil Rhodes would have been In
favor Of this pan rather than no union nj nil.
although his own Inspiration was To have |
union with English suzcrain'y. That would !
have been his plan. bat he Is enough devoted /
TO Africa 10 rreicr 10 see the union OF the Bocr
republics tnan none nj all England would. oi |
course. have struggled against the loss OF |
south Africa.
"A third powerful factor was OF course the
born In GERMANY, some Of them naturaiisrI,
and all OF them devoted only to what can bs
gotten out 81 South Atrica One oil the diamond |
men told me that enough diamonds were
stored away to supply the markets OF the world
for the next ten years that they would mo-, be
sold. rs the prices wer" not TO be reduced Tho
talk ~ damage to ths diamond mines which
was sent by cabl" from South Africa il imro.-
siOlc. IA the diamond mines are 800 feet un-
der ground nnd there Is no method Of surface
working. That WIS abandoned some time
ago; How these men got 'rctss to Mr Cham.
berlaln do not know, unless II was through
his mbtlon and his disapiolntmeut over the
outcome OF u, Jameson Az; OF eoufsc. this
saw a ritlandcr there. Amer can or English
who had any idea Of staying any longer than
all expected to leave. They naturally Taxa
very little interest in the war Just as in the
time ri Jameson raid they could not he made
1t IS no, right to suppose that the progress
OF riylliZation REQUIRES ne des!ruction Of Borr
hapnsn. do not l,Ieve that the English Win
one. There Is feeling among many English.
men thnt IL Is unjust Men now in power in
yI TO h.p G Ia"
More Enelishmcn viii show ih" SHS.I"n,
see That 1t is being carried on at great real
EXPENSE with no results. Mr., G!adstonr IL
with inderendence. because hc saw that Tho
war was wrong. aud the same thing might
,%h tho "iel sn m IN any
The ultimate result may possibly bo u union
~ all the South African re uhlics, every ons
independent. with slight English authority
over them. This may finally be urged ns no.
luton by the Powers, II the war continues too
long. The Beers will never surrender Every
soldier believes himself equal to four or llvs
as u fighter. ami this has been
i'm pressed on the army.
II believe II might be n good thing n Mr..
Rhodes w0rt taken prisoner and sent to Pre-
toria. In short time no might possibly ar
range some terms OF peace. for ha IL u man OF
personal force. He In not In tho
least eloquent, but, he has way Of saying
things wi be done In fashion that I'm prrssrs
everybody that they will he done. One In
stance Ot this occurred whom we were riding
IN Matebe eand. only three months after the
blacks had been irving to shoot him Some Of
them were, stu camping in the hills. ard a
through a. stretch OF country occupied
by the the, tribes that had not YET
and asked him how no dared To-
20 unarmed In the midst OF such
enemies. 1 told these people he said, when
The war was ended that we were going to have
peace. and want them to see that meant H. |
II were riding a !out here armed IL would not
make very good impression on them After
lwh le he gave me another, Instance Of his
feelings toward the people, which is very con
trhry TO tho common impression of him |
IN the party had asked him what |
would happen IN case OF an attack when he |