Washington sentinel., 1900-10-13
Return or Paul Kruger.

There is something pathetic and
much that is instructive in the
scene that will soon be enacted in
Delagoa Bay when the Dutch bat
tleship Gelderland will receive on
board the ex- President OF the late
Transvaal Republic to carry him
back to the land from which his
iorefathers came $50 years ago.
His departure dates the failure
of one Of the most respectable
efforts OF liberty loving people to
establish a free nation in land far
removed from interference, as they
fondly believed, and although he
returns In defeat, leaving behind a
few remnants Of his people, he goes
with honor and dignity. In the
effort that the Beers made at col
onization, success OF the first order
marked their endeavors. Even
after the grand trek was made, and
in order to secure the isolation the
sea forbade them to enjoy on the
coast, and they passed into the heart
Of Africa and established them
selves on the banks Of an unnavi-
gable river. their simple tastes,
their persistent industry aud un-
wearying patience found their re-
ward. When, however, they had
accumulated wealth enough to at
tract the rowing eye OF the British
their real troubles began all over
again, and the unhappy discovery
of gold fastened the disaster that
has overtaken them. There is no
blight can fall upon a country or
region to be compared with the
the possession of mines ofgold and
silver, Peru, Mexico, Nevada,
and India are illustrations of the
fact, and it California and Australia
have escaped the curse, it was be
cause nature bestowed a greater
wealth in their wheat fields and
vineyards. The full weight OF this
aftliction Of gold fell upon the
African Republic and insured her
destruction. Whatever issues OF
the day may have provoked the
opening Of hostilities, the primal
cause OF the war was gold. The
EnTlish fought for the mines, and
the Beers fought for liberty, and
the sordid cause has won. Ig-
noble as have been many OF Eng.
lands enterprises, no one OF them
equals in infamy the destruction
Of this noble little nation. Com
pare 10 it the aggressions OF War
rem Hastings, in India; the depor-
tation from Acadia, which, alas,
does not exist only in Longfellow's
hexameters; the massacre of the
negroes by Eyre, in Jamaica, and
the opium war in China are mild |
and civilized measures, justified in |
some part by the conditions that
created them, but the war in So nth |
Africa was utterly unjustifable, |
based upon false statement OF
causes, and conducted with no
other view than the annihilation of
the republic. 1t is probably true
that the English expected to at
tain by bluffing what has cost them
so much blood and treasure, and
a so their prestige as a warlike
nation. That her military opera
lions should contribute to the bur-
len of contempt which her policy
mas invited is righteous and Just.
The Beers are blotted out OF ex-
stence as a nation, but their noble
Ind hopeless defense is an inspira-
ion for the lovers otlibertY that lifts
Iolenso and Spion Kop to places
Iongside OF Marathon and Blu nker
Hill. Dom Paul on his sea journey
o Holland carries with him the
and respect of civiliza-
ion, and the little band of daring
len with their glorious leaders,
oubert, Botha, and De Wet, have
aimed an imperishable renown.