The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
BOERS NOT ANTI-AMERICAN
Consul Adelbert S. Hay Discusses
Transvaal Conditions.
Says Flight of United states Citizens
From Pretoria and johannesburg
wns n MistnEc-Has No Iden When
the War VIII End-Why He Left.

From Pretoria and JOhnnnerburg
wns MistnIsc-Has No Idea When
the War VIII End-Why He Left.
Consul Adelbert S. Hay, who recently
returned from his post at Pretoria, in
cliness to the opinion that. which ever side
may win in the present Boer-Brttish
struggle in the Transvaal and the Orange
Free State it will not have any large in
demnity to pay to Americans
In order to let you understand why
think this is So" said Consul Hay last
night. Il shall have to let you see the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State as
/ saw it.
When the first rumor Of war came
there were many who became panic
stricken, Americans among them They
seemed to think that the onl- safety lay
in getting out of the country, and many
succeeded in doing so. The result is that
Johannesburg and Pretoria are compare
lively empty, and that Cape Town is COM
paratively full of people who would give
a great deal if they could get back up
| country again. All, and Americans more
| so than others, made a wrong choice, in
my opinion. for they would have suffered
| but little from the inconvenience of war,
and would certainly have suffered moth
| ing. either OF abuse or insult. from Boer
| or British, had they remained as peace
| able citizens in their occupations, or on
: their farms.
| There was certainly no reason to fear
\ anything from the Beers, for from first
to last they showed a most kindly spirit
| toward the citizens of the United States.
and the United States as nation. From
| my point of view | could have asked
| nothing more from either Government. l
| was in Pretoria for several months under
the Boer, and several months under the
British regime. 1 was continually asking
consideration for American subjects from
both. and usually had granted all l could
have expected.
The Beers realize the quality of the
American who went TO the Transvaal to
| enter a profession. He is the best type
| that we produce-hard-workin inteIli-
| gent, and thrifty. He is a good worker.
and the Beers We're glad to have him in
| their mines. Consequently. when the war
| broke out any American who desired to
| stay ir Pretoria or johannesburg pro-
vided he was of good reputation, could
| have done so, and would not have been
| molested. Nevertheless great many left
THE greater proportion of Americans
resident in the Transvaal We're men en-
ployed and earning salaries. They were
well to do, but did not possess much prop
| erty to be destroyed. Though there was
a tremendous amount of burning and
blowing up by both sides during the hot
test time of the war. the Americans were
not damaged by it. except few owners
of large cattle farms or contractors on
the railroad.
1T was plain to be seen that there was
no suspicion or hatred of the Americans
felt by the Beers, and / think that what
ever the Government might have done to
merit the approval or disapproval of the
Boer Government, it was not reflected in
the least in the treatment of resident
Americans.
"Of course there were Americans who
took sides and put themselves out of the
laws Of peace under the laws of war. l
should not like to give any opinion as to
the right wrong of this, but / suppose
| that not more Americans than any other
neutrsE nations citizens We're found in the
Roer and British ranks. As to the pro-
portion in which they divided should say
that the Americans went to the Beers and
to the British almost in proportion to the
size Of each army, the greater number
to the British, of course.
"A great many were merely soldiers of
fortune, after a little excitement. their
lighting, and their pay. Coming over with
the mule ships, they would leave the ves-
sells and drift up the coast. perhaps, and
find themselves in the Beers lines, and
would then take up their arms there.
Others would land in similarly accident
al fashion among the British.
When asked If he had an idea when the
war would end. Consul Hay said:
Ono would have to be good prophet
indeed to make any sort of guess There
are too many things to take into consid-
Grafton, and the news from the country
is so changing and speculative that l,
for one, would not risk even the most ten
tative kind of a statement. The war
Will end when it is ended. is as commlttal
a declaration as l should care to make"
In reference to more personal matters.
Consul Hay said: II have no intention of
returning, and | left because / felt that
| could not, for many reasons, afford to
stay in Pretoria | had a great deal of
work to do. There were continual APP
plications to be made to the powers in
control for favors or permissicns desired
by American residents, and. with only
the volunteer service of a young Boston
man named Coolidge, 1 found that there
was more to do than / could handle.
THE expense of living a Pretoria was
| running up pretty high. and L did not
feel justified in staying for financial
reasons. The merest necessities were
bringing luxury prices, and with eggs at
II pence piece even a breakfast began
to be expensive. This high range Of
prices was due chiefly to the fact that
the British had control of the railroad
and were using it almost entirely for
military purposes. They had not the
space in their trains to give to the mer-
chants goods, and as a result nearly
everything bought was from the army
stores.
But there Is prosperous time coming
for South Africa, and it will start rapidly
to recuperate soon the war is over.
Then there will be an immense amount of
business with America which il will re-
quire a man of special business training
and genius to handle properly. The rail-
roads will have to be rebuilt and ma
chinery will have to be put into the
mines American manufacturers have
heretofore obtained large proportion of
the machinery contracts. and | suppose
they will hold their own, If not increase
it, when the revival of business comes.
''The consul now in charge at Pretoria
is w. ID. Gordon. man of fine ability
and who was previously consular agent
at Johannesburg. He now takes care of
both stations.