The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-04-27
DULUTH NEWS.

Hercules ID. VlljOen. the field cOrnet
of the Free State army, lectured Thurs
day evening of last week in behalf of
the Boer cause before a large audience
at the Lyceum. The speaker is Of tall.
athletic build and talks with degree
of earnestness that holds close atten-
ton, and leaves the impression that
he thoroughly believes in everything
that he says. Mr.. Viljoen was intro
duced by ]. W. Reynolds, who, with
Il. L. Hudson, John ?. De Ward.
Jacob LauX, n. II. McAIahon and 4.
Murphy comprised the local committee,
and had seats on the stage. Mr.. Viii
joen talked about two hours, and his
lecture was enhanced in interest by
a large number of stereopticon views
Of the country now invaded by the
British army, and portraits of famous
officers of the Transvaal and Free
State republics and their armies. Mr..
Viljoen first took up the causes lead
ing to the Boer war, and said that
most of the claims sent out by the
British correspondents and newspapers
are not true. The British, he said,
claim that the war is in the interest
of civilization, when the fact is that
in the Orange Free State one-third of
the revenues of the country is devoted
to educational purposes, while in the
Transvaal the percentage is consider
ably larger. Another cause that is Civ
en- for the war is that the foreign prop
erty owners are taxed without having
the rights of suffrage, which is true
of every country. Even in free Amer
lea the foreigner is obliged to remain
here certain number of years before
he is given the right to vote, at the
same time he must pay his taxes if he
holds any property. Mr.. Viljoen as
serts that the mine owners in Africa
are not taxed excessively. The rate
of taxation on the product of the mine
is only 21@ per cent, while it is IL
per cent in Rhodesia. He held en-
phatically that it was the riches of the
country that England is after. Mr..
Viljoen told of many cruelties that he
alleges were practiced on the children
and wives of the Beers by English off
GERS and soldiers, in fact his lecture
teemed with recital of acts which are
unbecoming the representatives of a
civilized country. The speaker said
that he personally knew to be true the
things for which he arraigned the Eng
fish. The Beers, said MI. Viljoen. are
engaged in fighting the same foe that
the American forefathers fought, and
are just as confident of winning as
were the Revolutionary fathers. Mr..
Viljoen's beard is black, while his hair
is white, and he said last night that
the change was caused by his imprison-
ment in an English prison under the
sentence of death. He was recaptured,
however, on the morning of the intend
ed execution, by the Beers One of
the views shown was that of Majuba
hill, where the little Boer force of So
men surprised and routed British
army Of 300 men. Mr.. Viljoen paid
high tribute to President Steyn of the
Orange Free State-and President Kru-
ger of the Transvaal Republic. The
former, he said, after being driven
from his home and losing his entire
property by British destruction, is now
in the field fighting by the side of his
men in the desperate attempt to save
the country from England. Mr.. Viii
joen denied emphatically the story that
President Kruger has deserted his
home and country, said that his So
journ in foreign lands is at the urgent
request of his friends and army off
GERS, who believe that at his advanced
age the strain of army life would be
more than he could bear. President
Kruger, he said, is dearer to the hearts
Of his countrymen than ever before.
In referring to the public schools Of
the South African republic. Mr.. vii
joen said that the laws had long re-
quired the teaching of both the Dutch
and English languages. At the solicit
tation Of the English people who
wished children to learn only their
own language, change was made so
that the choice Of the pupil is recog-
nized, and the one language taught
when desired, yet the English are not
satisfied. As to General De Wet, the
speaker asserted that he is held in high
esteem both by his friends and ad-
mired by his foes. He is one of the
most successful scouts that the world