The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-09-26

same. Brother is there divided against
brother. The wife sympathizes with
one side, the husband with the other,
sister is against sister, cousin against
cousin. The whole Dutch population is
not all upon one side by any means.
The Dutch population is divided, and
its sympathizers are divided. Take for
instance the Schreiner family. one of
them was the leader of the Afrikander
party in the Cape Parliament, another
is a South African vigilance delegate
and a leader in the Imperial South
in South Africa, both had the same
educational influences, but their paths
are now spreading further and further
apart, just as Naval Cadet Evans, now
Admiral Evans, path took him away
from his brothers who Joined the
Southern side.
Theophilus Lyndall Schreiner has
written a pamphlet upon the "Afrikan-
der Bond and other causes of the war"
which is well worth perusal. 1t is a
the case, by man who was born and
bred among the Beers, who UNDER
stands their language, believes in their
religion, admires their good qualities,
and knows their limitations. His sum-
ming up is worth reproduction because
it does away with many mis-concep-
lions, and yet states the case clearly
and without heat, which is the fault
of so many writer's.
Mr.. Schreiner says:
"The only arbitration which the
Transvaal cared for was arbitration on
a matter which England could not SUD-
nit to arbitration without ipso facto
giving up her supremacy. The insolent
ultimatum to England of the Trans
vaal Republic of October 9, 1899, which
we now know to have been ready for
issue some ten days earlier, was but
the outward expression of the definite
secret purpose which Republican Afri-
kanderdom had held and worked for
ever since 1881. To those acquainted
with that purpose the despatch OF
State Secretary Boeschoten of May,
1897, that of State Secretary Leyds of
April 16, 1898, and that of State Secre-
tary Reitz of May 8, 1899, marked three
successive stages in the carrying out
of that purpose; and there is no doubt
that when Mr.. Reitz, before the date of
the Bloemfontein Conference, penned
the last-named despatch, the Trans
Vaal Government had already deter
mined that the time had come to meas
ure swords with England for the pos
session of South Africa. Only those I'M
acquainted with the purpose and spirit
A frilxa nd prnnr11 for long
years, or those who did not believe that
England was in earnest in demanding
the redress of the UitlanderS' griev-
ances, could have doubted that war
was inevitable during the four or five
months prior to it's breaking out.
THE idea that the war was caused
by capitalists, or due to desire on
the part of England to rob the Trans
vaal of it's goldfields, is simply ridicu-
lous to those who have watched the
dream of Dutch Republican domination
unfolding itself STEALTH y but unfalter-
ingly during the past eighteen years.
No diplomacy could have finally avert
ed the war; only an absolute climb
down by England would have availed
to do so. The utmost measure of re-
sponsibility for the war resting on
England is this-that by her firmness
she forced the Transvaal Government
to unVell It's purpose SOneWudl SoOlel
perhaps, than it otherwise would have
done.
Il cannot express my conviction OF
the justice and righteousness of Eng
lands action in regard to the present
war more strongly than by saying that
even if those who delight to prOphesy
evil for the future prophesy correctly,
even if England were to lose South
Africa in the course of some terrific
life-and-death struggle with other
great Powers-an eVentuality which
do not for one moment believe will
come to pass-still even in such case
she will have no reason to reDroach
herself for her present action; she will
still have done nothing more nor less
than her simple duty to herself, and to
the peoples committed to her care, in
unfolding her supremacy in South
Africa at the present time. To have
shirked this Imperial duty would of all
courses have been the one most likely
TO bring about the catastrophe indi-
Gated; and to restore independence to
the Dutch Republics now would work
towards the same end"