Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-05
PEACE WITH FREEDOM
Former President Kruger De.
clares Only independence
Will Stop the War.
Boer Republics Willing to Make
Concessions II Freedom
Is Granted.
British Army Accused Of Cruelty
and lnhuman Modes Of
Warfare.

Warfare.
Paris, April 5An interview with
4 Paul Kruger appears in the Matin to-
day. The former president OF the
ST'ransvaal was seen in modest little
inn at Utrecht, where he is stopping.
4 His eyes have been Very much improved
i by recent operations and he can now
dispense with spectacles
Sitting in front of table with a
Bible under his left hand Mr. Kruger
delivered himself of an important state
lllsnt. 70 which further significance was
4 given by the presence OF Orange Free
\ State Delegate Fischer He began by
announcing that on Saturday next he
proposed retiring into the country for
a complete rest. The little village of
I tsilbersun1. rot far from Utrecht. has
peeii selected for his abode
Nothing has Yet been decided regard
ing his trip 10 America. Mr.. Kruger
4 will undertake the journey if his
strength permits and if there is any
4 hope of deriving an advantage for the
Bosr cause.
1 Pointing to Mr.. Fischer, the aged ex-
president declared that he Two repub-
\ lies We're indissolubiy united.
Fischer, he said is lighting for the
same cause as my heroic friend. Presi-
dsrt Steyn. The Two presidents and
4 the TWO commanding generals. Bptha
and pewet. will share the same fate
I On being questioned regarding the re-
i lance he placed in British official tele-
grams and the statements made in
4 parliament Mr. Kruger half rising.
from his arm chair, declared:
The British government the British
lteegraph and the British press always
4 try to make this much and he meas
ured his little fingerslook like this
mucf''-and he extended both arms.
II am persuaded" he added, that ev-
erything is going we'll OUT there. pre-
lIclsely because cur enemies continue to.
dissimulate and travesty the facts.
As regards Botha's negotiations, the
pubic knows from the blue book and by
reading Bothas lass dispatch that ii
Iva a British general who first made
the proposals. Never did Beer gem
eral refuse 10 listen. We do not fight
except for peace.
We are not conquerors. but altho.
lBotha listened tothe British proposals
lie never uttered Word Of equivoca-
Y tipn on the subject of independence. In
dependence is the only treasure We
lcheiish. We have sacrificed all others
Ito have our national independence. 1t
lis for that reason our citizens forsook
4 land our women and children now suffer
4 camp.
And. added the president, with still
.lnore emphasis, IL the English We're not
blind; ii they considered their own In
iterests we'll; II they ware not hopeiessly
Ienslaved by error and injustice they
4 would recognize the independence ne
demand. because in the hope of safe
8Hguarding 1t We shall be ready to make
|5conoess'ions and sacrifices And. more
over, il would assure peace forever IN
South Africa
i The subject of arbitration being next
4 approached. Mr.. Kruger expressed an
4 entire readiress to submit all questions
Ito the arbitrament of an impartial tri-
a bune.
Not even excepting the question Of
Undergraduate lie said. We would
sacrifice our liberty if the verdict Of ar
A filtration decided that one or the other
kof the chief Of the republics had done
4 anything 10 forfeit It.
i But on that point We are at ease
there the Bible was invoked. Mr. Kruger
threading a passage from the Psalms in
1 which David calls upon the Lord and
asks If there be any spot or blemish in
5l him or whether he had committed any
A misdeed, either he or his people
Like David said the old Boer s.we
have known that we are less impure
than our aggressors, and that our cause
His holy and just. Therefore we fear not
the Judgment OF the just. and rely on
the mercy of Cod
The alleged British atrocities wer the
rext topic Of conversation, and Mr..
Kruger readily expatiated on the terms
Of the recent manifesto issued by Pres
lident Steyn and Gen. De Wet
u have myself" he said, witnessed
the brutality with which the British
have swaged war against US. They have
acted like savages and on their own
confession have been assisted by saw
ages whom they had armed. They
have once more merited the reproacil
heaped upon their fathers by old
Chatham at the time of the war of
American independence.
our enemies have violated all laws
or war between civilized nations They
have outraged liberty without regard to
| the lives of -combatants. They
Fave pillaged and burned private prop.
erty. They have treated as rebels mer
who were known to be citizens of bel.
ligerent country. They have not ever
spared the women and children, tl1os,
sacred being who are declared neutra
and involate by all International codes
They have slavishly initiated pro
yceedings which have excited universe
D irdignation when practiced in Cuba b.
a Spanish general. and for which Spail
was as cruelty punished. Everythin,
that has been said respecting the hor
2 rors of war as waged by the Englisl
generals is far below the truth.
II declare-and history will bear M
cut when 1t ceases to be falsified--tha
> people will shudder when they learn thu
Details of all the atrocities that we hav,
suffered. The South African has been
on the part of the English, a perpetua
n defiance of the Geneva convention, to
much greater extent than their refusa