The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15


ton the best statement Of the Boer side of
the South African question which has yet
appeared. II is not prejudiced, or vituper-
alive. or unbalanced. 1t is n calm, earnest
summing up of the situation from man
who, after careful observation. sympathizes
with the Beers in their present struggle.
OF course, others who have been quite as
careful in their observation, so far as can
be discovered, have come TO a conclusion
directly opposite 10 that of Mr.. Hobson,
but no one can fail TO gain something from
the perusal OF this dispassionate statement
of a very complex situation. The author
discusses the population of the various
states OF South Africa Dutch and English,
the personality OF various leaders, and
the general causes and effects of the war.
Every chapter is interesting, and many
contain information which will be new to
the American public.
He throws down the gauntlet to certain
officials of the British Government in the
very first chapter almost on the first page.
This passage is so condensed a summary Of
his opinions in regard to these persons that
it is worth quoting at the outset:
South Africa is proverbially land of surprises,
and for a soiourner TO express any confident juds-
mcnt upon the delicate relations between the
Colonial Government and the Imperial policy dur
ing the recent crisis of public affairs would be
the pinnacle of folly. But having occupied myself
at Cape Town chiefly in canvassing opinion on this
matter, and having got. in conversation with dif-
ferent members of the Ministry and other political
Leaders, clear and outspoken judgments, ] ven
ture to present fairly representative summary of
a situation which is not unlikely to mark the be
Gtr
Whether the Colonial Secretary and the High
Commissioner were justified or not in their es-
pousal of the cause OF the outlander. and IN the
use OF him TO urge upon the Transyaal sort Of
suzerainty neither set forth nor. in my judgment,
implied in the Conventions, is not point to be
argued here. But il is Of urgent importance that
Englishmen should understand how sternly and
strongly the policy OF Downing Street was resent
ed by the elective Assembly of what has hitherto
been held to be- and distinctly holds itself to be by
right, substantially self-governing colony. The
Home Government and the High Commissioner are
felt TO have ignored and overridden the Judgment
of a strong Ministry. representing a people whose
commercial and political interests and eNpedients
entitle them to paramount consideration in the
settlement Of this Transvaal issue.
The whole of this first chapter goes TO
prove that Premier Schreiner and his
Ministers understood the condition of af-
fairs in South Africa far better than the
Colonial Officer. and that IL their advice
had been taken there would have been no
war The author quotes the concluding
words of General Buffers speech at Ora
Jamestown:
What South Africa needs is rest aud not sur
Eiesl operation.
It Is his opinion that friendly represen-
tations from Cape Colony were more eff
fectiye with Kruger and his burghers
than any threats which the British Gov
eminent could make, and that, with the
gradual disappearance of tn. conservative
element in Dutch politics, matters would
have been adjusted by natural methods.
He also scores Sir Alfred Miner for fall
ing to understand the Boer character, and
making various diplomatic blunders. Mr..
Hobson's opinion of this official is through
out unfayorable, and he argues that the
tactlessness of the Chamberlain Miner
methods was at the bottom of the whole
trouble which eliminated in Dom Paul's
ultimatum. He is shrewd enough TO let
Rhodes alone for the most part, probably
recognizing the fact that that remarkable
character is rather too big a man to be
summed up in a thumb-nail sketch; but
remark which was made in connection
with the discussion of Miners diplomacy,
by one of the Cape Ministers, is signifi-
cant. The author says:
The Cape Ministers divided in their estimate of
Mr.. krgel's policy. were united in announcing
the tactlessness OF the Chamberlain Miner meth
cd. Sir A Miner, they said, utterly failed TO
understand the Beer character, and could not get
81 any point into sympathetic touch with it. This
was made manifest Icy the proceedings at Bloem-
fortein. How differently" one Of them Put it to
me, would Rhodes have handled the business in
the days before the Raid had made him i'm
possible negotiator! Instead Of bombarding the
old man with a display Of offcialisnI, and seek
ing TO wrest from him admissions by dint Of
academic argument Rhodes would have said TO
his attaches: Now, all you fellows clear out !
and then he would have sat down by tie Ere, !
lighting cigarettes while the old nsn smoked his
long pipe: and they would have talked things
for couple Of days, to get to really under
stand one another before entering on any formal
attempt at settlement" Sir A. Miners method
Sas 20 treat Kruger a. nineteenth-century up-to-
date European diplomatist, instead Of slow
thinking suspicious, seyenteenth-century Puritan
farmer and conference on these lines was fore
doomed 10 failure.
Altogether. Mr.. Hobson does not believe
In government from Downing Street, for
any colony Of the British Crown.
He next sketches the history and con
dition of johannesburg and somewhat eau
tiously suggests that the Outlanders for
whose rights the British Government is
supposed TO be fighting are in reality not
Britons at all. but Hebrews. II is obvious
that he wishes TO avoid any criticism of
his statements on this point by those who
might accuse him of "Judenhetze," and IL
is also evident that he is quite sincere in
his belief that the Jew is the real dis
turbing cause among the British popula-
ton. This point, however he hardly
proves. Ii may be true-and probably is
that large proportion of the capitalists
of johannesburg belong to the Hebrew
race; the same might be said of good
many other cities in various parts of the
world notably New York; but that does
not prove that their cause is not the cause
OF British civilization for all that. The
jew has been a trader in every country on
the face of the earth; and among civilized
nations he has done much to promote
prosperity Of which others reaped the
benefits. He certainly does not retard the
material progress of any large city, and
generally Identifies himself with the bust
ness interests of the community, so that
he takes an important part in all public |
affairs, and is not by any means an alien |
element II Is hard to see, therefore, Low |
Mr.. HoSson has much Of a case when he !
attempts to show that johannesburg is not
entitled TO consideration as British town
because it happens to be largely financed !
by Jews.
The city is not very old ard at present !
appears TO be much in the condition of |
San Francisco in the days when Jack |
Hamlin fiourished there. II is not strange, |
as the author plainly intimates. that the !
peaceful and quist-loving Boer does not |
admire the civilization which he sees dis |
played there. but that, again, does no; |
materially affect the right and wrong |
II the question. When Mr.. Hobson says |
that, in time, all the concessions asked |
for by the people Of this mining city and |
their sympathizers might have been |
granted, he fails TO take into consideration |
the fact that in such a community time |
&c of ~o1a To q d., af.,f,.