The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-07-18

dearest upon earth-his political indie.
pepd dence. To any man who has watched
the Boer in war, any accusation which
iastens upon him the responsibility fol
the commencement OF hostilities falls u
the ground as absolutely preposterous
There is not a man, from the Command
ant-General down, who does not daily
pray for peace. There is not man who
is not heartily sick of fighting and the
hardship of lager life, and who would
not purchase the privilege to again enjoy
the comfort and quiet of home with any
concession which would leave him his
liberty. =
1 will not undertake TO say which is
the principle weakness Of the Boer, but
they all, in a measure, seem grated ON
huge bump Of insubordination. Bear
in mind that the Beers have no regular
military organization. Except the Com
mandant.General who is elected every
five years and who is as apt to be chosen
for social as for military qualifications
there is no permanent nucleus. Each
district has it's field cornet, who is a sort
OF semi-civil officer and whose chief duty
is to administer the Communicating laws
when occasion arises. When a COM
mando is formed TO take the field COM
mandant is elected. The commandants
have little control over their men, in
whom the republican spirit is developed
TO an inconvenient degree. II the war
requires large bodies of troops, vecht.
generals are appointed, who are under
the commanding general and command
groups OF commandos.
All Beers are wonderfully jealous OF
authority. They will tolerate no assump.
ton Of superior intelligence or knowl-
edge on the part Of their officers. They
will never submit 10 be ordered to fight.
II they want to fight they will fight, but
If they don't want TO fight they wont.
They may be coaxed, but never bullied.
One Of their generals may establish a
sort Of mental supremacy over them and
30 gain their confidence that they will
obey him with comparative certainty:
that is, they will agree to follow his ad.
wee. But general only arrives at this
summit OF quasi authority by slow and
careful steps; and having reached it he
may be dashed down at any moment.
Here in the Transvaal we have no |
American or European discipline. The
lighting men Of these two little Repub-
lies are Beers, and:the IBoer--well, he is
A Boer. In the whole history
OF these farmer Republics no white man
has ever been executed under the SEN
ience OF law. A beginning will not be
made now. The Boer only fights as a
matter Of accommodation to his govern
inent, and he will fight in his own way
Or not at all II you get him angry he
will take his gun, mount his horse and
ride away. am not defend.
ny the idiosyncracies OF the fighting
Boer. | am merely describing them.
Under the communicating law, every
3urgher in the two Republics is liable
o be called out for military duty. His
itle has been provided by the govern
nent (only OF late years-he used to pro-
ide his own weapon) but he furnishes
he necessary horse, saddle and Bride,
nd provisions for one week. Thus he
resents himself before his field cornet
eady for the fray. II he does not so
resent himself there is penalty. But :
is rarely enforced. After the fall Of :
'loemlontein more Burghere were !
eeded at the front. The field cornet OF
retoria sent summons TO $50 men to
ppear at his office on a certain day, =
repaired TO 20 on commando. Only 90
pPeared. "oi course, the delinquents q
ere prosecuted" says the military n
'ntleman. Not at all. The field cor d
Vt did not dare TO dare 20 resort 10 ex- "
eme measures. At great trouble 10 E
imself he went around to see the
urghers, and, being man of winning
'rsonalty and extremely popular, sue
'eded in coaxinS most of them TO do
Ieir duty. The lot OF the field cornet
time OF war is not a happy one. -
The Boer is not aggressive. This
ait Is due partly to his Dutch nation.
ity and partly 10 his religion. A bat.
, is sure 20 result in the loss of human
e, which the Boer holds 10 be a sinful Q
critce. An attack will precipitate a il
title. SO the Boer will not attack ex- n
pit under extraordinary circumstance. -
great majority OF the burghers will II
I attack under any circumstances. Il
onions may differ when 1t comes to "
signing reason for this. - ii
It the cowardice theory cannot ac- b
IN, for the refusal Of such large pro ic
rtion of the Beers TO fight upon GER a.
IN occasions. Another explanation pt
ist be found. "
In all that terrible fighting around d
dysmith and along the Tugela, not n
're than one-third OF the burghers
re at any time engaged. Since the he
al force under General Joubert never ol
ceeded 1000 men, it will be seen that III
real fighting force was rididuously aass,
all. Doubtless many people have us
ndered why the Beers did not send q.
re men to assault the Platrand, why N,
y few hundred were compelled 10 an
10 spionkop unaided; why so few ap