New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-13
THE CRISIS AT THE CAPE.

A Ministerial crisis at Cape Town may be
added to the general perplexities Of South AZ
RIGA. We remarked at the beginning of the war
that the position Of Mr.. Schreiner. the Cape
Prime Minister most delicate one. He is
a Dutchman and a member of the Afrikanler
Bond, yet he has been called upon to take the
British side of the conflict and to oppose the
Bond with both moral and physical force He
has thus far acquitted himself. on the whole.
admirably. But now that the results of the war
are to be dealt with civilly and the Cape Par
lament Is about to meet-it was called for Fri
day of next week.-Mrs. difficulties come to a
crisis. Some of his colleagues openly antagonize
him. The Afrikander Bond is furious in its
wrath against him. And he is by no means as
sured that the British party. which formerly
opposed him, will now stand by him he has
stood by 1t. Hence he has. 1t is reported offered
his resignation
The chief issues of the present crisis are those
of dealing with the Cape rebels and the ap
proval of martial law. During the war some
British subjects in Cape Colony openly Joined
or aided the invading Beers. and In some dis
tricts martial law was proclaimed by the Gov
ernor and men were arrested and punished
under IT. Mr.. Schreiner is in favor of proceed
ing against all such rebels, and regards the
temporary proclamation of martial law en-
trely valid and would take such civil action
may be necessary for the recognition of it. To
both these things the Afrikander Bond is OPP
posed. 1t demands that the Cape rebels shall
not be called to account for their treason ard
that the Governors proclamation of martial law
shall be officially declared unwarranted and
illegal and all sentences imposed under it shall
be Immediately annulled 1t may be that Mr..
Schreiner has been influenced by professional
instincts as lawyer rather than by zeal for
the British Crown-though there is really no
good cause for doubling his loyalty. AT any
rate, he Is fully committed to the British policy.
What will be the alignment of parties in the
Assembly? At least three of the Bond mem
bers, who openly Joined the Beers and accepted
office under them will scarcely venture to take
their seats. A fourth is likely also to remain
away from Cape Town. These absences will
reduce the Bond majority to seven or eight.
Now are told that in a caucus held this week
Mr.. Schrener deserted by most Of his
party, only ten supporting him. Therefore he
offers to resign. Suppose he does. He will no
doubt continue to enjoy the support Of the ten
members who stood by him in caucus. Their
detection from the Bond ranks would leave the
Bond in minority. Whether the British party
would accept Mr.. Schreiner as It's Prime Min
lister and sustain him IN Office. with the help Of
the votes of his ten followers from the Bond, is
not certain. 1t would seem to be an uncom-
monty good stroke Of policy for them to do so.
Meantime, 1t is not certain that Mr.. Schreiner
will resign his place as Minister. He may re-
consider the matter, and instead resign his con-
nection with the Bond. 1t is significant that he
has already accepted the resignat tons of two Of
his Ministerial colleagues who are intense Bond
ties They are Mr.. Merriman, the Treasurer,
who though an Englishman has all along been
more Boerish than the Beers. and Mr.. Sauer,
the Minister of Lands and Railways, who is
strongly pro- Boer and at the same time, by a
unique anomaly, a friend and champion of the
negroes. If Mr.. Schreiner should replace all his
pro-Boe colleagues with loyal Britons, and
should then appeal to the Assembly for support
in HIS British imperial policy, it is difficult to
see how the British members could refuse to
support him.