Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-05-31

scking in the suburbs of Johannesburg,
and intends to make a victorious entry
at noon today. Judging from his as
patch he must have private intorma-
ton regarding the disposition OF the
garrison in the fort, as he does not
seem to expect opposition Roberts
cavalry have flowed on beyond Jonah
nesburg A portion is understood TO
be at Seuurfontein seven miles north
of Johannesburg, within 20 miles OF
Pretoria. Roberts, although with a
broken bridge at Vereenigning and
wrecked railway behind him. has some
how managed to get forward sufficient
supplies for a large force. As he has
baen able to do so much,
it is considered possible ne
may be outside of Pretoria
Friday. The rapidity of his advance is
thought an extraordinary achievement
even by grudging the continental cri-
tics The beers, who were expected to
fight along the line of hills known as
the Kip and Riyersburg, abandoned
the eastern end of the range, near Rob
erts advance line, but stood their
ground on the extreme right near VAN
wick's rust. where they met French's
turning movement, The fight contin-
ued all day, and the result as yet is
mere conjecture Probably the bOer
rear guard succeeded in keeping French
off, and is now in the hills northwest
of johannesburg.
Fhe Standard has the following adj
vices from Pretoria under Mondays
date: The Transvaal government has
opened or is about to open peace nego-
tiations. 1t has cabled final inquiry
to its agents abroad, asmng
whether there is any hope of
aid. Without doubt the presence
of Roberts, with 10000 men at johann
nesburg will hasten the Transvaal's
decision Dispatches from Lourenzo
Marques yesterday described Kruger
as wavering but demanding a guaran-
tee that he shall not be exiled to st.
Helena. The fighting burghers still
continue to desert and the total col
lapse of the boer military organiza
ton is not far eff
Bennett Burleigh, wiring from Rob
erts headquarters at Vereenignig,
Sunday says: II doubt if Kruger can
muster $4,000 men, as many of the
burghers have gone to their homes.
The stauncher beers are sending their
families with wagons and stores to the
o-ln Aicfr ~
Pretoria will be defended is uncer-
tain. although a Pretoria message,
dated Sunday, pictures the work e de-
Tending the capital as going on with
feverish activity Pretoria is stu
ated in a wilderness of kopjes and
ranges and is provided with defenses
that require at least 10000 to man
them properly.
There may still be one hard nut for
the British to crack. The last mes
sage out of Pretoria is the following,
dated May Is, censored by the boer
government: "Krause, acting special
commandment at Johannesburg, has is
sued a circular to officials concerned,
warning them of the necessity of con-
trolling the foreign element in the
town, and directing them to resist all
attempts to destroy property or life,
meeting force by force" The Meth
erlands Railway company yesterday
notified the authorities at Lourenzo
Marques that they must decline to ac-
cept goods for delivery at Johannes
burg johannesburg kilograms are
still accepted subject to stoppage at
Pretoria
Premier Justifes War.
Lord Salisbury, who was entertained
at dinner last evening by the City Of
London Conservative association,
made an important announcement re-
garding the governments south Afri-
can policy. The stop the war party
have used my name" said the premier,
in support Of their ideas, by stating
that | promised there should be no
annexation Of territory or annexation
of gold fields never gave such a
pledge. | stated a simple historical
fact. We are accused of going to war
for lust of gold and territory. We
went to war to abate the oppression of
the queens subjects in the Transvaal,
and because our circumstances were
met by an insulting ultimatum. to
which, If the queens government had
submitted. her power, not only in
south Africa. but over her colonies
and dependencies would have been at
an end We were force into
war by the action Of our
opponents We have made a tremen-
dous sacrifice OF blood and treasure in
this conflict. and our only certainty Of
preventing a recurrence Of this fearful
war is to insure that never again shall
such vast accumulations of ornaments
occur and that not shred of the for
mer independence Of the republic shall
remain. We are not yet at the end Of
the var. but / shall venture to lay i.
down as q primary condition Of any