New-York tribune., 1900-02-07
THE WHOLE EXPLANATION.


The whole explanation of the situation is that
when President Krjger and his oligarehy found
that the British Government were determined
to secure the right to some representation in
the Raad with view to the redress OF griey-
ances. they decided to preeipitate a conflict
which they had been contemplating for wears
and for which they had made the most elaborate
preparations for they saw that the new repre-
sentatives, in combination with the renresenta
tives OF the Transvaal Reform party, would
break up the ring" Mr.. Bryce ridicules the
suggestion OF conspiracy" but we have here
In TINS very article an admission that from the
first the Transvaal Beers showed little graft
tude for the concession of practical autonomy,
and did not resign the hope of ultimately re-
gaining complete independence
Further, Mr.. Bryce, In Chapter XII OF his I'm
pressions OF South Africa testified to President
krugers overweening ambition In the following
language: Mr. Kriger Immediately upon his
accession to Office in 1881 formed bold and far
reaching plans of advance on the three sides
which lay open to him." and he goes on 70 point
out that the Beers have often sought to
carry out scheme for the acquisition OF rail-
way communication with the coast entirely un-
oer thelr own control an object unfa-
vorable to the interests OF the paramount
Power" In conjunction with this we have
President Kruger's admission to Lord Loeb that
he aspired to the formation of a navy. We have
next the admission of Mr.. Theo Schreiner,
brother to the Prime Minister OF the Cape, that
the Afrikander Bund, founded eighteen years
ago, was organization formed Ito overthrow
the British power and expel the British flag
from South Africa"
In support OF this we have the evidence of
Mr.. Dugmore the son Of an old Wesleyan min
lister in South Africa, who is the manager Of the
Undue Railway and Galleries Company a prop
erty about twenty-five miles from Stormberg.
Il have lived" he says. all my life in this col
ony and fully indorse the opinion expressed
by Mr.. Theo Schreiner that this war was
inevitable and that the aims Of Paul Kruger.
Reitz, steyn and others we're to oust the Brit
ish flag and found Afrikander nation. Thank
God, their hands have been forced and the
struggle precipitated before It too lateF'
Further. in 1885 Mr.. John x. MerrimRn, Co
lonial Treasurer of the present Cape Govern
ment, used the following words In a speech at
Grahamstown: My quarrel with the Afrtkau-
der Bund is that It strs up race differences. Its
main object is TO make the South African Re-
public the paramount Power in South Africa"
There is abundant evidence to the effect,
and it is not denied that the present Dutch
Ministry Of Cape Celony-a Ministry represent
ing numerical minority-won it's election with
South African Conspiracy" by the Rev. d..
wirgnan, in THE Nineteenth Century for jan
uary, 1900
THE EXPENDITURE ON ARMAMENTS.
Next we have the admission that the expendi-
ture on armaments began in the year 1885. the
first year In which thanks to the industry Of the
Outlanders any substantial revenue accrued to
the Transvaal: and from that date to this, with
the increase in the revenue from an Insignificant
sum TO q matter Of "a 4OO0,O It is clear that
President Kruger's ambition has grown with
his means and that the armaments OF the
Transvaal have increased propoftonately with
its revenue
We have the admission OF General Joubert
that I'VE Intentionally allowed disguised Eng
Iish spies to get q glance at our anuQuated mill
tary material. OF the modern material 10
considerable extent. they had no suspicion until
shortly before the beginning OF the war ana
have evidence that since the early part OF
1896 many skilled Belgian and Dutch artll-
Ierists have been engaged and imported in reg
ular patches up TO the opening Of the war.
Finally we have the remarkable admission from
DR.. Leyds only a month ago, that the Transvaal
Government is in possession Of an ample reserve
Of ammunition and twice the quantity or r1fes
it requires Surely. the only possible deductlon
is that these weapons were intended 1or the
hands Of the Cape Dutch. many Of whom nave
Joined the enemy Bitter is the resentment
against the others, openly expressed in tne
press, and yet Mr.. Bryce states: There Is not
the slightest foundation for the allegation OF
conspiracy.
JAMEsONs RAID A RESULT. NOT CAUSE
Mr. Bryce writes as II President KRUGER mad
rushed TO arms IN consequence of the Jameson
raid but IL would be fairer 10 state tnat the
raid was the outcome OF expenditure upon arma-
ments for II Is ineontestable to-day that &
wholly unnecessary expenditure in this direction
began many years before the raid Let US re-
member this OF the raid. the folly Of which is in
conceivable to-day-that without grievances
there would have been agitation in the Trans
vaal, and that without agitation there could
have been raid.
Toward the close Of his article Mr.. Bryce does
not hesitate to give additional publicity TO
suggestion which has been assiduously set IorIh
in this country by agents OF the TransVaal GOV GOV
ernment There were no doubt he writes
some of the English people who did desire 70
seize the richest gold field in the world ana VINO
were working hard to bring on war with % tnae a,
end The absurdity Of the charge Is SHOWN IN
the fact that the gold fields are the property OF
shareholders scattered all over the world the
English shareholders being in the minority, ana
Power can possibly become possessed OF Lhe soid
fields. Every prominent capitalist mas Done nis
utmost from the first TO avert war ana the
lea ding companies in the Transvaal nave as
missed their worknen for joining in the move
ment for the promotion Of reform
Mr.. Bryce CLOSES over the treatment ~ the
Beers of the blacks which has always been e
source OF friction between the Dutch ana the
English and he omits TO mention that every
y-,{ssJonarv from the time OF Livingstone has
condemned the conduct Of the Beers toward the
black races and, further, he makes no elIenlpL
to explain the significant fact that the ministers
OF religion to-day of every denomination W wniGn s
mas branches in South Africa are unanimous IN IA
support Of the war on tns rar me consi
tions of existence in the Transvaal are lnpossl-
BILE for men Of European races and oemorahzihs
in the extreme for the coiored races. go 4,
Having INDUCED in 'suggestio falsi ana In
..sIIppressio veri" to the full. Mr.. Bryce CON
cudes his attack upon MS eo1ntryieh hei1er VII