The Leon reporter., 1900-11-29
KRUGER In FRANCE.
Ex-President of the Transvaal Gets
Warm Welcome.

Ex-President of the Transvaal 0eta
Warm Welcome.
Marseilles, Nov. 23.-Ex-Presi5ent
Kruger landed here yesterday. SEN
ator Pauliat, the president, and other
members OF the Paris and Marseilles
reception committees assembled at
the landing stage, and behind them,
drawn up in long line, were dele
cations of various patriotic socie-
ties, with embroidered silk stand
ards. Kruger cannot but be elated at
the warmth of the reception by the
people of Marseilles. The broad
streets and boulevards from the IL
ing stage to the hotel presented a
perfect sea of human beings. From
the moment the barge left the side
| of the Gelderland with Kruger, who
appeared TO be in good health and
was surrounded by Boer representa-
tives, a storm of cheering broke and
never CEASED until Kruger entered
the hotel. Even then a vast con-
course OF people remained in front Of
the bui ding until Kruger appeared
on the balcony, where he had to re-
main some time uncovered, acknowl-
edging acclamations of his thousands
of admirers.
Replying to addresses of welcome
of the presidents of the Paris and
Marseihes committees. Kruger, after
thanking committees for the warmth
of the reception accorded him, ex-
pressing gratitude for the sympathy
he had received from the French gov
ernment, he spoke of the war as ter
rible and barbarously conducted by
the British. He said:
Il have fought with savages, but
the present war is even worse. We
will never surrender. We are deter
mind to fight to the last extremity.
and - the republics of the Transvaal
and Orange Free State lose their in
dependence it will be because they
have lost every man, woman and
cnlld.''
This declaration dispelled at once
any impression that he friends to ac-
cept compromise from the British
government His announcement was
greeted with roar of cheers and
cries of "Vive Kruger" "Vive les
Boers," 'Vive La Liberte."
At a banquet given in honor of
Mr.. Kruger in the evening, DR.. Leyds
represented the ex-president and
read the following message from
him:
81 am fatigued and am in mourn
ing. Moreover, I never attend ban
| quets. Otherwise should have liked
| to spend a few minutes with you and
to thank you. I shall never forget
the warm welcome have had in
your beautiful city which gave
France her admirable hymn, that
'Marseillaise' winch is the song of
all peoples whose independence is
threatened and who are strugglie
against invaders.
II wish that your acclamation
could have been heard by all those
Beers in arms who are encamped in
our mountains. They would thank
you from the bottom of their hearts.
I thank you in their behalf. Could
l have been with you I should also
have expressed my thanks to all
France and would have raised my
glass in honor of her worthy pres
ident, M. Loubet"
Mr.. Kruger has sent the following
dispatch to President Loubet.
"In debarlling upon the hospitable
shores of France, my first act is to
| greet the worthy chief of the French
republic and to forward to you a
testimonial of my gratitude for the
marks of interest your government
and country have so kindly wished to
offer me-
Dijon, France, Nov. 24.-Mr. Kru-
| ger has become, for moment at
least, the popular idol of the French
| His triumphant progress northabard
through the country from Marseilles
to Dion has placed this beyond
doubt. He met with tremendous
reception in each town along the
route where the train stopped, cul.
minating in scenes of frenzied en-.
thusiasm here last evening calculated
to turn the head of any man.
The population of Marseilles gath
cred in thousands yesterday morning
to escort him to the railroad station
and gave him rousing send-off, while
at Tarascon, Avignon. Valance Ma.
col, Lyons and Diion the inhabitants
who crowded the railroad stations
made the rafters tremble with en-,
thusiastic shouts OF give Kruger
and "Vive les Boers!" The demon.
stration was an the more significant
because it shows that the acclama.
tions at Marseilles were not merely
| an explosion or eXuDerance on The
part of the warm-henrted and excit.
able populace OF sunny cline, but
sentiments shared with even greater
intensity by the usually less demon.
strative and colder blooded inhabi-
tants of the northern provinces.
Paris, Nov. 25.-President Kruger's
reception in Paris was another grand
ovation, such as he had witnessed at
every point along the road from Mar.
seilles. AS many people as could be
crowded into the space about the de.
| pot welcomed him at that point, and
+ he made brief address thanking
France for her evidence of sympa.
thy. The route to the MOTEL was 8
continuous ovation. At 4 o'clock, ac
companied by strong detachment
of courassers. he visited the Elysee
| where he was received by
| President Loubet. AT 4:3O Presi
dent Loubet returned the call at the
Hotel Scribe.
WILL ISSUE $4,000.
Jos. Lesper of Victor Colo. and HI