The Irish standard., 1900-06-09
FUTURE OF THE TWIN REPUBLICS.

dt dH emu. Last TUESDAY IeneTal ROD-
erts with his triumphant army entered
Pretoria without encountering any op-
position from the Beers, who had evac-
uated the city and retreated northward
to continue the fight in guerrilla fash
ion like the Filipino insurgents. 1t is
no shame for the brave burghers to
have fled at the approach Of the con-
quering host, but it is to their eternal
glory that for nine long months they
held out against the largest army that
England ever put in the field since the
days of William the Conqueror At no
one time did the Boer forces exceed
$4,000 men, scattered as they were
through Natal, Cape Colony, the Trans
vaal and the Orange Free State. In
some battles they were victorious when
opposed by twenty to one, and they al
ways succeeded in carrying off their
heavy guns when forced to retreat
At Krugersdorp, the Irish Brigade, in
line with the American sharpshooters
under Blake, both commands number
ing 1900 men, held $4,000 Britishers in
check for nineteen hours, to enable the
Beers to reach the fortrcsses in the
mountains with their artillery and
stores. Had there been $1,000 Irish
Americans instead OF 500 it is the Brit
ish and not the Beers who would have
retreated.
The capture OF the Transvaal and
Orange Free State capitals does not ter
inmate the war, if DR.. Fischer, chair
man OF the Boer peace commission now
in America, is to be believed. He says
the struggle for liberty will be carried
on indefinitely in the mountainous re-
gions north Of Pretoria. We think that
the best thing for the Beers to do is to
keep their arms and harass the British
as long as they can. England may soon
have plenty G! fighting to dc elsewhere,
and she cannot afford to let big stand
ing army remain in South Africa for
any long period. Any unconditional
would be grave mistake on
the part OF the burghers.
They should never give up their arms
according to any stipulation that Eng
land may offer. If they were treating
with generous enemy, it would be diff
ferent, but perfdious Albion has never
kept any promise made to defeated
foe. Situated as the Beers are, six
thousand miles away, they can afford to
insist upon recognition Of independence.
Besides, there are 100000 more Afri-
canders than Britishers in the dark con-
tinent, and the latter can never rule
the former with rod of iron
Lord Salisbury has declared that not
a vestige OF independence will be left
to the Beers. They will have indepen-
dence in spite OF him. Already the
Dutch of Cape Colony demand it for
their brethren in arms If it is not
granted England is at the beginning OF
her troubles in South Africa. Unless
the Beers are murdered to man,
fresh war will break out within few
years that will sweep the British into
the ocean, and Africanderdom will rule
not only in the subjugated republics but
throughout the entire British posses
sions.
Salisbury and Chamberlain will soon
discover that "blood is thicker than wa
ter" among the Dutch as we'll as among
the Anglo-Saxons, and that the Afri-
canders of Natal and the Cape will SYM
pathize with their republican brethren
if they are refused the rights for which
they have fought and bled with such un-
exampled bravery.
At meeting held in Cape Colony on
May 81, the Dutch subjects OF Great
Britain spoke in no uncertain tones.
Resolutions were passed by them to the
effect that if the republics were annexed
the peace and prosperity OF the country
would be irretrievably wrecked, and that
in order to insure lasting friendship and
prosperity the settlement must include
the restoration of unqualified freedom
and independence to the republics, and
that the colonists be allowed a voice in
the appointment of the governor OF
Cape Colony, thus obviating the neces-