Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-06
BoER PLANS REVEALED.


The New York Evening sun quotes
from the London Times, letter by a
Boer on the Transyaal question, 1t Is
Of considerable interest.
The writer admits that the cause Us
lost. He recalls the time when the
Dutch In South Africa dreamed Of 20
great Anglo Dutch African Empire,
stretching from Cape Agulhas TO Tuns
and from Cape Verd TO Guardful under
one Gag-the British. and having one
language-the English" but England,
he says failing to keep the BelgIans,
French and Germans out OF Africa and
to expel the Portuguese, besides turn
ing over vast areas OF Afrikander land
to the Chartered company, the dream
Of an Anglo Dutch Greater Africa
faded. Then the Beers united their
fate with that Of the Boer relatives
with the view OF founding an exclusive
~ Dutch empire In Africa, and 'deter-
mined to fight you for supremacy ia
South Africa"
This, II will be seen, sheds new light
over the beginning of the conflict. IL
the statement Ia true, that the Beers
long ago determined to fight, and that
they prepared themselves for the con.
flct they have been passing through
the leading statesmen OF Great Britain
cannot be entirely responsible for the
initial steps that led to the hostilitles.
Negotiations cannot be successfully
carried on with people determined t.
fight and prepared for that mode OF
arbitration.
But the writer In the Times further
states that the Beers had not only pre-
pared themselves for the war, but had
also agreed on terms Of peace, which
they would set forth, IL victorious,
Those were:
ga Every British subject or other
enemy who did not surrender by a
given date would be outlawed and all
his property conflscated. (b) All per-
sons who had been guilty Of rebellion
or assisting our enemies would have
had all their property confscated and
would have been expelled from South
Africa, with the death penalty for re-
turn. (c) All other British people In
South Africa, except those who had
fought on our side and possessed GER
tlflcates to that effect, would have been
disfranchised for life. I'D The use of
| the British language In all cases would
have heon strictly forbidden under PEN
atty OF fine or Imprisonment. All for
elgn or allen newspapers would have
been suppressed"
II these are facts, Paul Kruger and
| his friends should be the last TO Won
! der why the war went against them,
Notwithstanding their fervent prayers
and hard fighting. While 1t is true that
the Almighty at times has worked
miracles, In answer TO prayer, for the
deliyerance Of His children In times of
| distress, II Is also true, that divine in
terpositlon can never be counted on for
the furtherance OF selfish and oppres
sive plans. 1t should not be necessary
to remind a people so well yersed Ia
the Scriptures, as the Beers are, of the
familiar passage "Ye kill and desire to
have and cannot obtain; We fight and
war, yet ye have not, because we ASK
not. We ask, and receive not, because
We ask amiss." II the statement OF the
Times correspondent Is to be relied on
that seems applicable to their case
Prayers for victory, when success
means robbery and suppression OF per-
sonal liberty, cannot be expected to be
heard in the high heavens. Even thu
chosen people, when devlating from the
paths Of righteousness were left In the
hands Of their enemies. until they re-
pented and Inundated themselves.