The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-10-17
ALARM in ENGLAND.
Public Disheartened Over Failure
to End Beer War.

London, Oct. 14.--In any country
whose constitutional traditions were
less deeply rooted than Great Britain's
what is now transpiring here would be
certain prelude to revolution. Evil
dences are accommodating on all hands
of a great wave of public alarm at the
incaleulable danger to the empire
arising from the paralysis which has
overtaken England in her attempt to
subdue or exterminate the Beers.
There is fierce public Indignation at
the inconceivable levity and ignorance
with which the enterprise was begun
aud the criminal stupidity with which
it has been conducted. The opening of
the third years campaign is signalized
by the publication in both the lingo
and the anti-war press of retrospects
of the governments war, the record
fully justifying the gloomiest appre-
tensions.
Great Cost of War.
1t was first estimated that the cost
of the war would be $50,00O,0 900, with
field force of $4,000 men, which parlia-
ment was assured would complete the
conquest of the republics in three
months. To-day, when prospect of
conquest was never less certain, it has
cost $500, 100000, besides $4,000 lives,
the aggregate of casualties being 49,
900. Since Lord Roberts declared the
war over on the eve of the general cleo
ton last September it has cost $780,
100000 in money, 5000 lives and $4,000
other casualties.
Kruger's Pledge Recalled.
Kruger's historic pledge to the world
that the price England would have to
pay would stagger humanity is now on
everybody's lips. 1t was jeered at
when originally published, but at the
height of this present supreme crisis
the public is dismayed by the intern
perate, undisciplined outburst against
critics by Gen. Butler, demonstrating
the decentralization which has been
produced in the army by the stress of
this ignominious campaign.
The proclamation of martial law
throughout Cape Colony is the crown
ing blunder of the British policy. 1t is
known here that the Cape premier
warned both the imperial government
and Lord Kitchener that it inevitably
would mean the ultimate loss of South
Africa, but the government gave Lord
Kitchener absolute discretion, and he,
rendered reckless by the hopeless en-
Engagements of the desperate situa-
ton, refused to listen to reason and in
sisted on having his will obeyed. An
iron curtain of rigorous military CEN
sorship has now been drawn down over
the South African confagration.
BOer officer Executed.
Middelburg, Capt Colony, Oct. IA
Commandant Lotter, the Cape rebel
whose commando, consisting almost
wholly of rebels, was captured south
of Petersburg in September, and who
was sentenced to death, was executed
Friday morning.
Commanda4t Lotter had been tried
and found guilty. on eight counts, in
Guiding sedition, the murder of col
ored, unarmed scouts, the murder of
troopers in action, the blowing up of
railroads and the cowhiding of Brit
ish subjects and Europeans. Lotter
pleaded that he was a citizen of the
Orange Free State, but this was dis
proved.
COmmandant Scheeper Caught.
London, Oct. 14.-Lord Kitchener
reports to the war Office from Pre-
toria, under Saturdays date, that
Gen. French's columns have captured
Commandant Scheeper. Lord Kitch-
ener does not state whether Scheep-
er's commando, which has been &C
tive in Cape Colony, was captured or
not. The British have been in pur-
suit for couple of weeks. Scheeper
himself was so i'll that he was obliged
to travel in a buggy.