Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-05
WILL ARBlTRATE EVERYTHING
ASKS ONLY AN IMPARTIAL TRI-
BUNAL TO SETTLE WHOLE
AFRICAN QUESTION.
CALLS THE BRITISH SAvAGES
Fierce Denunciation of the Way War
Is Conducted-Boers Will Fight
Indefinitely.

New York, April 5.-A dispatch to the
Herald from Paris says:
An interview with Mr.. Kruger ap-
pears in the Matin. The former president
of the Transvaal was seen in a modest
little inn at Utrecht. where he is stop
ping for the moment. His eyes have been
very much improved by recent operations
and he can now dispense with spectacles.
Sitting in front Of table, with BIZ
BILE under his left hand, Mr.. Kruger de-
lvered himself of an important state
ment, to which further significance was
given by the presence Of the Orange Free
State delegate, Herr Fischer.
Mr.. Kruger began by announcing that
on Saturday next he proposed retiring
into the country for complete rest. The
little village of Hilbersum, not far from
Utrecht, has been selected for his abode.
Nothing has yet been decided regarding
his trip to America. Mr.. Kruger will
undertake the journey if his strength
permits and if there is nay hope of gain
ing advantage for the Boer cause.
Pointing to Herr Fischer. the aged
president declared that the two repub-
lies We're indissolubly united.
Herr Fischer he said. lis fighting
for the same cause as my heroic friend,
President Steyn. The two president and
the two comanding generals, Botha and
DE Wet will share the same fate"
On being questioned regarding the re-
dance he placed on the Boer official tele--
grams and statements in parliament, Mr..
Kruger, half rising from his arm chair,
declared:
1.-The British government, British tele-
graph and the British press always try
to make this much" and he meas
ured his little finger-"look like this
much" and he extended both
arms. II am persuaded every
thing is going well out there. principal
ly because our enemies continue to dis
simulate and travesty facts.
LAS regards General Botha's negoti-
ations, the public knows that it was the
British general who first made propos-
ais. Never did the Boer general refuse
to listen. We do not fight except for
peace. We are not conquerors, but, al
though General Botha listened to the
British proposals he never uttered a
word Of equivocation on the subject of
independence. independence is the only
treasure we cherish, even if we have to
sacrifice all others.
1T is for this rason our citizens for
lives and our women and children now
suffer temporary servitude in the ene-
my's camp.
And" added the president, with still
more emphasis, IF the English were not
blind if they considered their own in
terests we'll, if they were not hopeless
ly enslaved by error and injustice, they
would recognize the Independence we
demand, because in the hope of safe
guarding it we shall be ready to make
many concessions and sacrifices and,
moreover, it would assure peace forever
in South Africa"
The subject Of arbitration being next
broached. Mr.. Kruger expressed his en-
tire readiness to submit all questions to
the arbitrament Of an imperial tribunal,
not even excepting the question Of in
dependence.
I'VE would sacrifice our liberty" he
said, IF the verdict of arbitration decid-
ed that one or the other of the republics
had done anything to forfeit it. But on
that point we are at ease"
Here the Bible was invoked. Mr.. Kru-
ger reading a passage from the Psalms,
in which David calls upon the Lord and
asks if there be any spot of blemish in
him or whether he had committed any
misdeed.
But, like David" he said, 1--WE have
known that we are less impure than our
aggressors and that our cause is holy
and just. Therefore we fear not the
judgment Of the just and rely on the
mercy of God"
British atrocities was the next topic of
conversation.
Mr.. Kruger expatiated on the terms of
the manifesto issued by Steyn and De
Wet.
II have myself witnessed the brutali-
ty with which the British have waged
war against u.s." he said. They have
acted like savages and on their own con-
fessiOn have been assisted by savages
whom they had armed.
They have once more merited the
reproach heaped upon their fathers by
old Chatham at the time of the war of
american independence. Our enemies
have violated all the laws of war be-
tween civilized nations They have out
ragged liberty without regard to the lives
of non-combatants and pillaged and
burned private property. They have
treated as rebels men who were known
to be citizens Of the belligerent country.
They have not even spared women and
children: those sacred beings who are
declared neutral and inviolate by all in