New-York tribune., 1901-12-29
SOUTH AFRICAN EXTREMES.

The pendulum still swings One day there is
an important British victory and the next there
is a brilliant and successful Boer raid. One
week the willy and truculent Kritsinger is capt
ured and John Bull relaxes somewhat the grim
ness of his frown, and the next week the in
domtable De Wet "rushes' British camp and
Dom Paul chuckles. So it has been going on
for weary months, and so it may continue to go
on for months to come Perhaps the swing of
the pendulum is more strenuous in the one di-
rection than the other, and is growing more and
more so. But at the present rate it threatens
to he a long time yet before the vibrations cease
and the pendulum is still There is at present
no promise of anything better than that the
thing shall keep on swinging until by slow at
triton the propulsive force on the Boer side is
completely worn away.
There are also other extremes In the case
The British Government is understood to have
declared that not trace of independence shall
be left to the Beers and that unconditional sur
render is the only possible settlement of hosti-
ties Those. say the Beers, or the Beers friends.
are harsh and extreme demands, and II the
British would only modify them little the
Beers would yield TO them. Very we'll But the
Beers, on their part, have with equal positive
ness declared that nothing will satisfy them
short of absolute independence and the elmina-
ton Of the last traces Of British authority
Those. say the British. are extreme demands
which cannot be granted; but il the Beers would
modify them a little they might form basis Of
negotiations But each side sticks to its ex-
treme demands, although it knows 1t is asking
more than the minimum which would satisfy
II, and is thus prolonging the murderous and
destructive war.
More. perhaps we should say. than what ought
-
in this case needs definition. Strictly applied,
as some proBoers affect to interpret It, the Brit
ish demand is that the Beers shall have nothing
whatever to say about their own government,
but shall be ruled as slaves or prisoners In
fact, the British mean no such thing They
mean that there shall be no more Boer indie
pendence Of the British Empire and that the
two States shall henceforth be as much subject
to imperial control as any other British colo
nies; but they also mean that within the limits
of the empire the Beers shall enjoy self-govern-
ment as other colonies do. Is IL replied that In
such status there is no real independence? Ask
the Canadians or the Australians what they
think of it!
Unconditional surrender" seems TO the Boers
a harsh term. Literally interpreted It fs though
| more than once within our memory 1t was the
favorite war cry of this nation and was inexo.
rably demanded OF and exacted from our own
brethren. But here men knew well what it
would mean-humane and generous treatment
OF the vanquished. 1t must be equally well un-
derstood that 1t has similar meaning in South
Africa. No rational man supposes that the Brit
ish mean TO exercise any unusual or atrocious
measures upon the Beers after the latter have
yielded To what extent assurances upon that
point should be proffered by the British NAV be
| questionable point Their cause will be all
the stronger the more the world realizes-and