The age-herald., 1901-01-04
IS VERY OPTIMISTIC Tells Boers of Folly of Continu-
 ing Guerrilla Warfare LEADERS TO BE RECOGNIZED
Will Not be Ignored in Reconstruction Government - Expresses Wish to End the Contest by Humane
 and Not Harsh Means.

London, January 4-The censorship has just permitted news of the following peace tentatives to emanate from Pretoria: About the middle of December a num- Der of prominent burghers who had sub mitted and were living in the Pretoria dis trict formed peace committee. MT. Van- rensburg, a former member of the first Volksraad of the Transvaal was elected president of the committee, which included other prominent former members of the Volksraad The committee resolved to at- tempt negotiations and accordingly in res sponse to a suggestion Lord Kitchener attended a meeting of the committee De- cember 21 and addressed the meeting. H said he was glad to meet committee de- sirous of bringing the war to a speedy con- clusion and he assured them that they could rely upon his assistance in every way calculated to further that object He proceeded to podnt out the folly of con- tinuance of guerrilla warfare, since the British government would never permit the re-establshment of the Boer governt ment.
 MT. Chamberlains statement in Parlia- ment, Lord Kitchener contended, clearly showed that there wish to op- press the burghers On the contrary, the British proposals foreshadowed an enlight- ened government, in which the burghers would have a prominent share, ensuring the rights of property and the ancient laws and customs of the burghers Preparing for Contingencies. Lord Kitchened urged that it was use- less to continue the present inhuman struggle, pointing out that the powers had refused Mr. Kruger's requests for inter- vention. The burghers, he said. had | fought goodnight, but they had been | overpowered and there was no dishonor in | the leaders recognizing the fact. He reminded them that there were hosts | of Boer prisoners waiting to be restored | to their families.
 Referring to his proclamations to the | country Lord Kitchener said that unfor- | tunately those had not been allowed to
 reach the burghers and he trusted that l the committee would make known the facts to the Boers in the fields as he de- | sired to give them every chance to sur- l render and wished to finish the war by the most humane means possible. He promised to give the committee notice, if compelled to abandon conciliation for harsher measures. Going on the explain his recent proclamations confirming the statement that those who had broken oaths of neutrality would be treated in the same way as the others, he told the committee that all would be accommodated with their families in protected laagers along the line of railway. He asserted that 1t . was imperative to clear the country of inhabitants and of food, because so long food remained the commapders would be able to continue in the field -
 Not Responsible for Stock.
 Ho he nei unless 1t was brought in, adding that he hoped at the end of the year to be able to divide the remaining stock among the various sufferers.
 No one, he promised, would be sent out of the country, but all who had fought fairly, including the leaders would re- ceive the consideration due their rank. He advised the formation of local sub-oom- mittees to send out agents to the Boer commandos explaining that they could communicate through the central commH- tee and the military governor and could also come to see him personally, if nec- essary.
 Lord Kitchener bade them tell their friends what they had heard him say and assured them that they could place the most absolute reliance in his giving effect to 1t. The committee, which included Gem eral Cronjes brother, cordially thanked Lord Kitchener and promised to print th0 speech in Dutch, and then circulate 1t sv- eryWnere
 Since the meeting orders have been is- sued against burning farm houses unless it should be prived that the actual ihhaba itants had committed misdeeds.
 The first districts cleared under Lord Kitoheners plan were Jasersfontein and Fauresmith, whose inha bitants were laak- cred at Fauresmith. q.
 London is More Hopeful.
 Advices from Capetown this morning ara more hopeful owing to the active recruit ing of local forces in all quarters and a bet ter feeling prevails in London based upon prospect of Lord Roberts taking the reins at the war office.
 From Sydney, N. S. w.. 1t is reported that there is quite rush of men there anx- ious to join the contingents, five thous- and having volunteered The reports of Lord Kttcheners conference with the burghers also tends to remove anxiety.
 According to the Daily Express, Lord Kitchener has warned the mine owners that they must not count upon military protec< tion.