Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-20
DETERMINATION
THAT OR INDEPENDENCE WILL
END BoER WAR.
is A BITTER, TERRIBLE WAR
English Critics Underestimate It's
Dangers-Krueger Still the
Leader.


London to the Herald gives an inter-
View with d. Erasmus, son of General
Erasmus of Pretoria on the probable
consequences of General Bothas refusal
TO accept the terms of peace. He said:
The English public for some I'm.
kE Wn reason, has looked upon the war
all along as mere child's play, notwith-
standing the lessons which it received
in the commencement of the war. Four
hundred Beers are quite sufficient t.
harass the entire army for an indefinite
period in the district north of Pretoria
Regular cavalry cannot operate there.
1t is deep sand. which gives the poorest
foothold. owing to the fever, the Brit
ish can operate but six months in the
year. The Beers from childhood have
accustomed themselves to this climate
and can stop there without much harm.
In foreign countries people who are
trying to make mischief out of the
English reverses consider them dis
grace to the British army but I can
assure those pretended friends of my
people that if they had to do what the
British are now trying to accomplish
they might do much worse"
The Beers he said, can get plenty OF
food, horses and ammunition. AS an
alternative for Sir Alfred Miner as a
negotiator with the Beers, Mr.. Erasmus
suggests that England should send some
impartial Englishman. Lord Kitcheners
name will not go either He has been
too much associated with Cecil Rhodes.
You remember how their names We're
connected when Lord Kitchener was in
London; how they We're coupled and
how they took directors degrees to-
gether?
The end" continued Erasmus, "will
be when the Beers remaining must be
either caught and exterminated or given
independence. There was a time after
Pretoria was taken when many Beers
deserted or surrendered. in the belief
that they would fins their houses and
families as they left them if they We're
allowed to go free promising not to fight
again. The end of the war was then
Aore than possible. My people were
>4ady to give in. But when the Beers
returned to their homesteads and found
their farms burned and their families
gone, they knew not where, they We're
ruined men. From that day out, it
should be understood, the war became
one of revenge and no Ginger one OF
patriotism. Picture to yourself the sit
uaton. 1t IS perfectly simple to UNDER
stand the bitterness of the Beers.
The only terms satisfactory would be
Restocking the farms and making good
that which has been destroyed. Other
wise why should our men not continue
to fight? They have lost everything,
and therefore have nothing to lose and
everything to gain.
Mr.. Kruger is still absolutely prest-
dent of the Transvaal republic. People
say he ran away. That is untrue. He
was forced TO leave by the executive. 1t
took 5000 men to guard him. We need
ed those men elsewhere. Moreover, !,
was considered that he would be more
useful over there.
"It is perfect nonsense to say he is
worth millions. At most he may be
worth a million, which he gained from
the purchase or sale of lands, just as
any other man might. But much of this
money has been entrusted to him for
state purposes. That money he expends
by the BOer executive.
"Mr. kruger may have lost some
weight with a certain number of people
of the extreme section. but remember
this-it is important. Mr.. Kruger is the
one man today who could. if he liked
bring the war to an end. He could finisl
1t tomorrow if he willed. When peace
comes it will be made by the people ap
pointed to make it-Mr. Kruger and the
extraordinary commission sent over by
the Beers, Messrs. Wolmarens, Vessels
and Fischer. They have full power to
act"
''And the Boer forces today?"
II estimate them to number from 10.
900 to 120o0' concluded Mr.. Erasmus.