The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25
THE ENGLISH IDEA OF PEACE.
How President KruRer's Proposals.
Were Received ny the British.


his proposals for peace have affected Eng
lish opinion somewhat as did his. ultima
tum Of last October That defiance. the
sting Of which still rankles in so forbear-
ing a man as Lord Salisbury. left the Eng
lish Government and Englishmen no other
/ course but war with the BOer Republics.
~ stripped the advocates Of further Eego-
tiattons and of mutual concessions OF their
weapons 1t nearly silenced many that
doubted whether war in South Africa was
either necessary or inevitable 10 disillu
stoned as many on the score OF the inten-
| uohS ana aspirations, avOwed and TN
/ avowed, Of the BOer Governments On
| every side it cleared the air that for
weeks had been growing thicker and
I thicker with arguments and reioinders
persuasions and threats. rumors and sur
! mise. hopes and beliefs
/ \ few weeks ago there was a respectable
| body Of opinion in these islands especially
/ in the Liberal party. that believed that
when the Beers had been thrust back
! from British territory and vigorously pur-
/ sued into their own, the time would BE- I
/ ripe for the beginning OF negotiations FOR I
/ peace. Reviving one OF the illusions OF
/ last autumn, they anticipated that. after
! the relief Of Ladysmith and the victorious
I advance of Lord Roberts into the Free
| State. Mr.. Kruger would open cOmmuni
| cations with the English Government.
I They rejoiced when the report of the ar
| rival Of a despatch from the BOer Gov
| ernments spread about London.
/ When rumors indicated the tenor Of that
| despatch they were disappointed. Now
! that they know Il officially they are left as
| weaponless and as disillusioned as they
! were after the ultimatum OF last october.
| Even to these who were disposed TO make
] every possible concession to the Boer Re
4VfIT f.ne
| should have so little realized the inevita- |
| bic consequences OF defeat in the war The I
| best excuse that they can make for his /
| proposal that the continued independence 4
Of the Republics be the basis Of negGtia /
lions is that he was testing the Contnen
tai Governments or seeking TO influence his
own burghers.
In a word. as the Boer ultimatum made
| war inevitable, so the Boer proposal for
peace has made the existence Of the Re
publics as Independent states impossible.
As English opinion responded spontaneous /
~ and nearly unanimously to the ultima
tum. so It has responded to the proposal.
Then it accepted the necessity OF the war.
it insists that the Transyaal and the
Free state shall surrender their independ-
ence AS there was then no other way but
war, so now there is no other way but the
incorporation Of the Republics in the En-
pire. In Parliament, in the newspapers.
in the talk OF men, by every token OF pub
lie opinion, there is hearty agreement with
Lord Salisbury's simple statement: Her
Majesty's Government is not prepared to
assent TO the independence. either Of the
South African Republic or Of the Orange
Free State"
That it would be so determined has been
obvious for weeks. Neither the turbulence
Of fanatic LIMOGES nor the sentimentality
Of equally fanatic partisans Of the Beers
has much influenced the great, sound. sen
sble body of public sentiment that could
see no other outcome of the war. Those
who saw hazy visions OF a modified indie
pendence, whatever that-may be. which
should soothe BOer sentiment and yet pro-
tect British, interests in South Africa for
the future. can only deplore Mr. Kruger's
blindness and extravagances. Boer indie
pendence modified or unmodified is hence
forth outside the field Of practical discus !
sion. There is ample and useful work for
the advocates of a policy OF Cancellation
to do. If they are not blind as Mr.. Kruger
himself. in the shaping Of the other con-
ditions Of peace.
For the present this attempt on the part |
Of the Boer Republics to open negotiations
for peace will have no effect upon military
operations in the field or military prepara-
tons at home. Lord Roberts and Lord
Kitchener will continue their campaign. |
and the flow OF re-enforcements and sup
plies from England to South Africa will
not diminish. Once arrived at BlOemfon- I
TEN General Roberts. it is understood, {
will try to turn his successful invasion Of ,
the Free State to political profit by official y
and unofficial invitations to the burghers ,
to abandon resistance and return to their {
farms, assured OF the safety Of their per- /
sons and their property Already not a I {
few are so doing without invitation From
Bloemfontein, in due course, the English
Army will advance toward Pretoria There
however near at hand peace may be. il is s
agreed in London and in Cape Town by I
civil and by military authorities. English {
troops must appear and the English dag ,
be hoisted. if the full measure Of the war
is TO be brought home to the Beers. s
In spite Of this necessary continuance 2
of military activity and preparation the q
impression. right or wrong is obviously {
gaining ground in London especially in e
quarters near TO the Government that the s
war will not continue much longer. After y
the surrender Of Cronje and the relief of
Ladysmith, informed opinion here, as a
these letters then reported was divided S
as to whether the Beers would resist to z
the last. Now Il seems more and more TO .
incline TO the view that the Boer forces v
are losing their morale; that the burghers b
are drifting away to their farms; their g
own and their leaders cOunsels are s
divided. and that only group of extreme n
Transyaalers with their following are dis
posed to resist by whatever means to Il
whatever end. q
It is difficult TO ascertain the grounds \
Tor this change Of view. In fact. il rests n
Ipun the current report that. whereas for .
months trade and industry in South Africa u
nave been at a standstill. orders received ( q,
n London indicate that men on the spot
anticipate their speedy revival in cOnse-
luence of a suspension Of hostilities and
regulations FOR peace. Moreover, men that
InOw the BOer character at first hand be-
ieve that the average burgher. once as SCI
ured. as General Roberts is assuring him. re-
hat his person and his property will be Al
and once convinced that his per io
onal freedom will not be impaired by the du
uss Of the independence of his country. Co
yll submit 10 that as the penalty OF the az
efeat On the other hand. prophecies are IL
lot lacking that the final determination Of 4.
,reat Britain to end the independence Of q
he Republics will unite the Beers in pro- ~
onged and desperate resistance. '
The truth is that, beyond the declara- SD
ion that the Government will not assent to g
ne continuance OF the Boer Republics y"
S independent States. no one knows what pm
ettlemeut Lord Salisbury and his col su
aagues contemplate. The extreme and
loyalists at the Cape and in
fatal know what they desire Already
iev are talking Of the confscatioR Of
,utch farms by their British neighhors ~.
nd Of generally violent measures against ..g
he disaffected or the openly rrheNioUs fine
The mining interests in johannesburg hH
nd iu London know exactly what they de hs'
ire. IL gossip runs truly. thsy are picking IN
nd choosing the administrators TO whom BAL