The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-11-22

broadest sense? Every act of their
past cries no. Their idea of liberty is
simply liberty and power for the Boer
to the detriment of all who come under
the influence Of their government.
Why did the Beers go to the Trans
vaal? Simply because they were not
allowed to continue holding slaves in
the Cape Colony. They had lived un-
der British rule for generations with
out murmuring until the holding of
slaves was forbidden within the
British dominion. Then the storm
gathered and they trekked to the
Transvaal, many of them taking their
slaves with them although they had
been paid $15,OOO,OOO for their liberty.
Surely this is "liberty-loving" people.
How did they come in possession of
the Transvaal? BY dispossessing the
natives. They never bought an acre
Of it. And they enslaved and so
abused the natives that there was
general uprising against this same
llberty-loving people. In the fighting
which ensued the Beers were whipped
and threatened with determination.
In their extremity they applied to this
criminal" England to annex their ter
ritory and take them under her protec-
ton. At that time it only required %
men to raise the British flag over their
capital and take formal possession.
They were beaten in war and bank
rupt. England furnished men and
money to whip their foes and offered
them protection. She then placed their
finances on a firm basis and taught
them how to conduct the same. Since
they have been able to "walk alone"
we have had an example of Boer graft
tude.
Now for the term "Puny antagonist"
The Boer strength has been variously
estimated at from $4,000 to 100000
men. At the beginning of the war the
Beers, themselves, claimed the latter
figure and they should be the best
authority. A conservative estimate
places their fighting force at IS or so
thousand men, force equal to that
with which the greatest victory of
modern times was won, the battle of
Waterloo. Then take into considera-
ton their equipment. The best that
genius could invent and money could
buy. 1t is an acknowledged fact by
all that their arms were far superior to
those of the British Again we must
consider the formation of their country
and their intimate knowledge of the
same. A country of natural fortresses
and narrow passes, places that a few
men could hold against fearful odds.
And lastly, we must consider the
Beers themselves as soldiers. A ma
tiOn of warriors and hunters. Taking
into consideration these facts and the
advantageous position they always
held, methinks he must be shardy
man" who would claim them "puny
antagonist"
But near this same gentleman say
you have not taken into consideration
the overwhelming" torce sent against
them. Things are only great or small
in comparison. Against these little
Dutch republics the British sent 25O.OOO
men, the greatest army she ever placed
in the field. Granted, but if my
memory serves me right, military au-
thorities claim that the attacking
force, to be successful, should number
from 3 to 10 to 1, other things being
equal. Another thing, we must take
into consideration the distance from
the base of supplies at which the Brit
ish army had to operate and the long
line of communication to be kept open,
so that the real available fighting force
of the British was very much inferior
to this number. The fighting there
consisted almost wholly of attacks on
fortified positions held by the Beers.
Placing the Boer army at $1,000 and
allowing that the military authorities
are correct in stating that the attack
ing force should number-other things
being equal-5 or 10 to 1, then at the
lowest estimate England, to be on an