Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-03-16

thlnk, ABOVE all innings, De attributed
TO oar hard common sense. That IL
the one thing that distinguishes us,
think-our good common sense"
What is known of Cronje, who with
his 5000 or 10000 men made a stand
against the greatest generals and the
finest army that England can put in
the field?
All the world is amazed by the mans
courage and daring, but of him per-
sonally little is known. Yet he has
been in the public eye ever since he
checked and then whipped Lord Me-
thuen
Cronje has beard, of course. Near
ly all Beers are bearded. He is a little
man. and that Is unusual among the
Boer leaders. He is a believer in the
old Bocr method Of warfare, and he
has shown himself to be a master of 1t.
Until four years ago Cronje was a
farmer. Then he was made superin-
tendent of natives in the Free State
In time of peace he has the appearance
of absolute stupidity. He is shy and
ditfident. He approaches people with
his hands clasped, his head on one
side. He invariably buttons his coat
wrong, so there is a great gap. His
voice is soft and gentle.
Montagu White, the American rep
resentative of the Beers, who knows
Cronie well and has the most unbound
ed admiration for him, says that a man
meeting Cronje for the first time would
not give him a second thought unless
it was to remark upon his apparent
dizziness and stupidity.
And yet this farmer of GO, with his
little army OF 10000 men. undrilled.
ununformed. with a dozen guns. Of
which only seven or eight are modern,
has forced experts to admit that the
great military systems of England and
Germany are wholly wrong; that he
knows more about modern scientific
warfare than the great generals OF Eu-
rope.
whence did Cronje gain his military
genius" Mr.. White was asked.
From the SOIL" he replied.
But that is not wholly true Ancestry
has something to do with It, These
men are descended from those who
fought in the army of William the
Silent that real man who loved liberty,
that wonderful general who in all his
years of fighting won but one real vic
tory on the field, yet In the end com
PEELED Louis XIV to sue for peace, al
though the armies of the Grand No
narQue defeated those OF William the
Silent on every battlefield.
From the Huguenots they gained,
too, a lofty devotion to principle and
military genius as well. for in the long
struggle In France the Huguenots were
wondrous fighters, and they won IN
the end.
In battle he moves about with ire
mendous celebrity. he seems to be
everywhere at once. He is deeply re-
hglous, but It is said OF him that he
prays with his eyes open, that nothing
may escape him. he is said to be the
most beloved man in the Boer army.
his personal influence is very strong,
and in battle he has always been very
conspicuous.
OF General Botha, the one who sur
wives and the ADLER one, almost nothing
has been published. 1t is set forth
that General Lucas Meyer was a ia
nous warrior in campaigns against the
natives; that General Schalk- Burger is
a self taught man distinguished for
his calm logic and his skill as an ora
tor In fact, 1t is significant that all
the Boer information about their lead
ers has to do with their civic positions
and distinction.
Notwithstanding the reports that
have come from South Africa about
the disaffection of the Free Staters, It
does not appear that they have ever
lost hope. These reports are, Of course,
from British sources and are admitted
ly CLEANED from Boer refugees and
some prisoners.
1t is only by pure accident that an
insight is gained into the real charac-
ter of these Boer leaders. Among the
prisoners taken at Belmont were Com
mandant Serfontein, an Orange Free
State burgher, who was captured be-
cause he refused to leave his 17-year-
old son, who was dangerously wound
Gu w ncn NE WIS QucSllOueu dDOuI
the outcome Of the war. he was silent
for awhile, and then he said:
whether you are right or we are
right do not know. You are strong.
But to be strong is OF no matter. Only
God rules. He will decide it."
1t Is this firm, sweet, simple faith Of
an honest man that has made the
Beers great. On the other hand, Colo
mel Schiel, the German who is credited
with directing the Boer artillery, a
man who knows the armies of Europe
and the resources Of England, who is
not moved either by lofty patriotism
or a divine faith, is confident that
England will fail
"You fought well, but our numbers
were few" he replied when he was
asked about Elandslaagte.
How many Beers were engaged"
he was asked.
IF told you, your national self es-
TEEN would discredit my assertion, /"
was his reply.