The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-21
THE SOUTH AFRICAN PROBLEM.
Bnifour and Chamberlain Make 1t
the Campaign Issue.

LONDON, Sept. 2O.-The Right Hon.
Treasury. and Government leader in the
House of Commons. has issued an ad-
dress to his constituents, which Is Tir-
tually the battle cry of the coming cleo
ton. He declares that while there are
doubtless other questions OF importance,
the question that electors have to decide
is how and by whom the problem await
ing solution in South Africa shall be set
tied. He contends that lesson had BEEN
indelibly impressed on the South African
mind by the British dealings with the
Transvaal, which ended ingloriousF at
Majuba Hill and from a radical admins
tration neither firmness of purpose nor
consistency in policy can be expected.
Admitting that individual members CT
the opposition have expressed opinions
on the war with which the nnionists
agree. Mr.. Balfour declares that among
the leaders of the opposition there Is no
symptom of that unity which alone t1Ve5
strength in council, while some OF their
followers display an attitude that IS
hardly distinguishable from reasonable
sympathy with the enemy. He adds:
1T is not to the party so led and so
composed that VIC can look for any con-
sistent effort to grapple with one OF the
most difficult questions British states
manship has ever had to face. Every cit
izen, therefore, who desires That the
blood men of our race from every guar
ter of the world have freely shed n de-
fence of the Empire shall not have been
shed in vain is bound to dismiss ell
sma Her issues and to resolve. 50 Jar as
with him lies, that there shall &C no
break in the continuity Of the national
policy. and no diminution in The strength
OF the Parliamentary forces by which
that policy can alone be successfully
maintained"
Mr.. Balfour alludes to the situation i'll
the Far East as being one Of fhe qi;es-
lions of first Importance, but he says that
the verdict of the country cann0: ceDend
on this. because the general principles
which should guide The British policy in
China afford little matter for dispute.
Colonial Secretary Chamberlain has
also issued an address to his constitu-
ents, in which he declares that The war
policy is the main issue. He says:
You are asked to say whether the war
was just and inevitable. or whether it
was only another instance OF a policy CT
greed and oppression. of which our enc
mites dCCuSc US. ADUNt az. you arc cof-Cu
to decide whether the glorious vIior OF
our soldiers. the ungrudging support Of
our fellow subjects throughout the world.
and the sacrifices we have sustained shall
be thrown away or the objects with
which the war was undertaken be fully
secured"
Mr.. Chamberlain thus states the Gov
ernment's proposals for dealing with the
South African Republics: 1T is the
policy OF the present Government which
you are asked to approve. that these
separate, independent Governments which
have been a constant menace to Her
Mniesty's supremacy in South Africa.
should never again be restored. but that
after a period of administration ia ked
by military force the length of gh CHI
period viii depend on the readiness with
which the Boer populations accept the
British flag, the people of the two States
shall be received into the Empire On the
footing of self-governing c,lcnies. in
which position they will enjoy more lib
erty than they ever did before. and the
equality of rights and privileges which
they persistently denied to the British
in their midst
He adds that this policy has been ap-
proved by all the autonomous colonies
81, ted in