Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-09-15
Nevertheless Mr.. Chamberlain $
Last Message Is Significantly
Near It.
Would Like an Immediate Reply.
Discussion of Sovereignty
Declined.
Franchise Offer of Aug. 10 Ac.
ceptable Provided Its Terms
Are Carried Out.

LONDON, Sept. IA representative
of the Associated Press learns that the
British message to the Transvaal does
not demand reply in 48 hours, the ex-
act wording being request for IAN
immediate reply" The message is not
an ultimatu1n, in the generally ac-
cepted sense of the word. It expresses
the hope that President Kruger will &C.
cept the propositions to ''relieve the
present tension"
The only part which is at all aggres-
sive is the reiterated decllnation of the
British government to discuss the mat
ter of sovereignty in any shape or form.
The message of the secretary of state
for the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain, says
he understands the concessions made in
President Kruger's note of Aug. 19,
have been withdrawn on account of the
British attitude regarding suzerainty
and adds:
Refuse to Talk About 1t.
"Her majesty's government has alb
solutely repudiated the view of the
political status of the Transvaal taken
by the Transvaal government, claiming
the status Of sovereign state, and,
therefore, are unable to consider any
proposal made conditional on their ac-
ceptance of this view."
Continuing, the note says that the
British government is satisfied that the
law embodying the proposed alleviating
measures for outlanders is inefficient to
secure immediate and substantial rep
resentation, which, it is understood, the
Transvaal admits to be reasonable.
It then says: Moreover, the presen-
tation of the proposals in the note of
Aug. 10, indicates that the government
of the South African Republic them
selves recognized that their previous Of
fers might with advantage be enlarged
and the independence of the republic
thereby in no way be impaired"
Still Prepared to Accept.
The dispatch then goes on to cay
Great Britain is still prepared to accept
the franchise proposals of Aug. 19, pro
viding court of inquiry, whether joint
or unilateral, shows the new scheme to
be unenculnbered by nullifying condi-
tions. In this connection, the British
government assumes that the new
members of the raad will be allowed to
speak their own language and adds
that the acceptance of these terms
''would at once remove the tension and
would. in all probability, render un.
necessary any further intervention of
her majesty's government to secure re-
dress for grievances which the uitland-
ers themselves would be able to bring
to the notice of the executive council
and volksraad. Her majesty's govern
ment is increasingly impressed with
the danger of further delay in relieving
the strain which has already caused SO
much injury to the interests Of South
Africa, and they earnestly press for an
immediate reply to the present proposal.
If acceded to, they will be ready to
make immediate arrangements for a
further conference between the presi.
dent and the high commissioner to set.
tie all details of the proposed tribunal
of arbitration and the questions re.
ferred to in my note of Aug. 80, which
are neither uitlander grievances nor
questions of the Interpretation of the
convention, but which might be read
lily settled by friendly communication
between represen tatives Of the two gov.
ernments If, however. as they must
anxiously hope Will not be the case, the
reply of the Transyaal should be neg.
ative Of conclusive. lam to state that
her majesty's government must reserve
to themselves the right to consider the
situation de novo and formulate thei1
own proposals for final settlement"
The Exact Franchi.e Proposals..
The exact franchise proposals which
Mr.. Chamberlain says Great Britain is
still prepared to accept with the court
of inquiry proviso, are five year fran.
chlse, a share for outlanders in the cleo
tion of the president and equal rights,
and increased representation for the
goldfelds to the extent of eight new
seats. These were presented by Presi.
dent Kruger Aug. 10, and later were
withdrawn.
A special dispatch to The Pail Mall
Gazette from Cape Town says the Brit
ish reply is regarded as equivalent to
an ultimatum, and the correspondents
advices from Pretoria indicate that war
is inevitable.
A Pretoria special to The Cape Times
says the Transvaal has notified the
miners of italy that it will give them a
safe conduct and protection in case
they wish to remain in the Transvaai.