New-York tribune., 1900-04-15

OF the Orange Free State.
to understand the rough Boer. We Americans
come nearer but even those of who
know the cowboy country have adequate
parallel for q KRUGER.
THE ILLITERATE KRUGER.
In our Revolutionary War the soldiers and
statesmen Of the mother country added much
to the bitterness of that contest by referring to
patriots illiterate and uncouth colo
nists The pages of Trevelyan's recent and ad
mirable work bear abundant testimony to the
mischief done by this means alone But If IL
literacy could be ascribed to such men as JEFF
ferson, Franklin, Adams Washington. what
words could characterize Kruger, who can
scarce write his own name, let alone influence
the reading world by his pen. The men who
created the United States the peers in
learning of any men of their day; and century
Of diplomacy has not made us appreciative OF
the State papers indited by colonists who signed
the Declaration of Independence.
AS a fighting animal Paul Krtger and his fol-
lowers have something that recalls the fathers
of American independence The Boer is ami
to what he conceves to be his duty. 1t is the
Puritan spirit of Cromwell. Like the New
Engander he has been trained from childhood
to the use of firearms. Finally, he is fighting
in which unites the whole people and
places nearly every able bodied man under
arms.
DIFFERENCES TO BE NOTED.
But here the parallel ends.
America fought for her rights under the Brit
ish Constitution-she resisted the encroach-
ments of George III and Lord North just
Cromwell and Hampden resented the innova-
ton of the Stuarts. The statesmen of America
jurists. and English jurists at that and
they argued their own cause with ability both
in the press of England and on the floor of the
House of Commons The letters of Washing
ton and Franklin witness that separation from
the mother country was not in the minds even
of those who most loudly resisted her unjust
measures. Separation became the watchword
only after the British Government had repeat
edly demonstrated that it meant to rule in
q constitutional
but by right of conquest alone. The members
of the Continental Congress took view of the
situation which has been amply vindcated by
time, and by the best historical writer's Of the
mother country. George III sinned against
knowledge, and his people paid heavily for that
Kings folly.
Paul Kriiger now turns to America and says:
You fought against English tyranny and Sc
cured your ndependence-nOw, then, you
should help in the same sacred cause"
ANOMALOUS AS MORMONIsM
Paul KRUGER is aiming to erect in the midst
of the United States of South Africa a govern
ment anomalous in its way as Utah under
Brigham Young.
England smiled at this effort, not believing
that it would ever amount to anything serious.
That was a mistake 1t would have proved a
still more grievous one had the Boer broken
out at time when England's hands were en-
gagged in European war
Paul KRUGER gave several opportunities of
meeting him and getting an idea Of his pur-
poses but before my first audience l had to
give assurance that l did not intend to carl
cature him. OF course, protested that nothing
was further from my mnd-that l had the
greatest interest in learning the truth about
him for the truths sake. and that l had come
with a strong bias in his favor; and so had
SENSITIVE ABOUT TABLE MANNERS.
Then l discovered for the first time what was
preying upon the mind of the Boer President.
A tppant newspaper correspondent had de-
scribed Dom Pauls waistcoat ornamented
with drippings resulting from careless of
spoon or knife at table, and ii seems that this
bad ranked in his mind and made him
that he would never again receive the wandering
stranger.
Indeed I am sure that would never have
been received by either DR.. Leyds or Paul
KRUGER had I not found in Pretoria German
friends who good enough TO vouch for me.
The mere fact that ! came with letters OF in
PRODUCTION from England made a suspicious
character, and Germans only could help me in
such crisis.
1 gave my promise then that would not carl
cature Dom Paul. and that promise I have
kept with diffiCulty-for how can one describe
him without using language suggesting ridicule?
He is grOtesque in his solemn moments and fune-
real when most funny. When he rides in state
he recalls the advance agent of a circus troupe
and when he walks to church he Is arrayed like
an 'end man" at the minstrels. We do not
caricature him, we picture him he is-a single
minded courageous gruff. illiterate cattle driver
with the soul of a Cromwell and the education
OF red Indian.
PRESIDENT OF THE FREE STATE.
But there are Beers and Beers. And Martin
Steyn is also Boer proud of his Dutch pedi-
gree, proud of his Orange Free State proud to
stand shoulder TO shoulder with his Puritan
burghers. and proud OF the education which
raises his fellow citizens far above the average
prevailing in the sister republic.
President Steyn is one OF the best all round
types of manhood il has been my fortune to
meet. He has a calm, penetrating eye full Of
human interest and at the same time suggestive
or latent fire. In way he reminds me of the
late Governor Buckingham of Connecticut who
when was a boy, passed for the grandest OF
living Americans with possible rival in Charles
Sumner. Steyn seemed to me about six feet
high. with broad shoulders slightly STOPPING;
not the stoop that comes from desk work but
rather from carrying gun after game. / have
met many Americans who reminded me of Steyn
deliberate men and shrewd-indifferent to mere
display, yet careful as to their personal appear
ance. Everything about Steyn and his house
spoke Of cleanliness. tidness. good taste Every
thing about Krtiger's house suggested slovenly
housekeeping. II not dirty personal habits.
HE BELIEVES HE is RIGHT
While the war Is ii is Idle to discuss why
Steyn threw In his lot with Kruger To me IL is
sufficient TO believe that the President OF the
Orange Free State acted in this crisis from as