Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-03-30
TERMS Beers DEMAND,
son or General Erasmus Discusses Botha'
Refusal to Surrender.

DisCubbeb bOtnat4
Refusal to Surrender.
London, March 3D.. Erasmus. son
OF Gen. L. Erasmus OF Pretoria, speak
Ing on the probable of
Gen. Botha's refusal to accept the
terms OF peace, says:
'Ihe English public, for some un-
known reason has looked up the war
all along as mere child's play, notwtth-
"a the lessons which 1t received
In the commencement Of the war. Four
hundred Beers are quite sufficient to
harass the entire army for an indef-
mite period In the district north of Pre-
toria. Regular cavalry cannot operate
there. 1t is deep sand which gives the
poorest foothold. Owing to the fever,
the British can operate only six months
In the year. The Beers from childhood
have accustomed themselves to this
climate. In foreign countries people
who are trying to make mischief out Of
the English reverses read In them a.
disgrace to the British army. But l
can assure those pretended friends of
my people that II they had to do
what the British are now trying to ac-
complish they might have done very
much worse or have succeeded less well
In fighting"
The Beers, he said, can get plenty of
goods, horses ammunition. AS an
alternative for Sir Alfred Miner as a
negotiator with the Beers, Mr.. Eras-
mus suggests that England should send
some impartial Englishmen, free from
all party feeling. Lord Kitchener's
name will not go, either. He has been
too much associated with Cecil Rhodes.
You remember how their names were
connected together when Lord Kitch-
ener was In London; how they were
coupled and how they look doctors de-
grees together"
THE end said Erasmus, will be-
that the Beers remaining must be
either caught and exterminated or Civ
en- independence. There was a time,
after Pretoria was taken, when many
Beers desterted or surrendered, In the
belief hat they would have their
houses and families as they left them
If they were allowed to go free, promis-
ing not to fight again. The end Of the
war was then more than possible. My
people were ready 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 were ruined men. From
that day out, 1t should be we'll under!
stood, the wal became one Of revenge,
and no longer one Of patriotism. 1t Is
perfectly simple to understand the bit7
terness Of the Beers. The only terms
satisfactory would be restocking the
farms and making good that which has
been destroyed. otherwise why should
our men not continue to fight? They
have lost everything, and therefore
have nothing to lose n everything to
gain.
Mr.. Kruger is still absolutely presi>
dent of the T~ransvaal republic. Peo-
pie say he ran away. That Is untrue!
He was forced to leave. 1t took 5000
men to guard him. We needed these
men elsewhere. Moreover, 1t vas con-
sidered that he would be more useful
over here. 1t Is perfect nonsense to
say he Is worth millions. At most he
may be worth a million dollars, which
he made from the purchase and sale Of
lands, Just as any other man might.
But much money has been intrusted to
him for state purposes. That money
he spends in the which is in
dicated to him and as intended by the
Boer
Mr.. Kruger may have lost some
weight with a certain number of peo-
pie Of the extreme section. But re-
member this-it Is important-Mr.
Kruger is the one man today who could
II he liked, bring the war to an end.
He could finish 1t tomorrow If he willed.
When peace comes 1t will be made by
the people appointed to make 1t. Mr.
Kruger and the extraordinary commits.
sion sent over here by the Beers, Mr.
Wolmerans, Mr.. Vessels and Mr.. Fish.
err. They have full power to act"
"And the Boer forces today?"
II estimate them to number from
10, 900 to 10000" concluded Mr.. Eras.
mus.