Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-08-10
CHAMBERLAIN ON TIE WAR.
Colonial Secretary Defends Use of Natives
To he More severe Hereafter.


To BE More severe Hereafter.
London, Aug. 5.-Discussion which
arose in the house of commons last
night over the colonial office appropria-
ton gave the opponents of the govern
ment ample opportunity to bait Mr..
Chamberlain.
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the
liberal leader, said that in view OF the
patience with which the nation had for
twenty-one months endured Mr.. Cham
berlain's policy in South Africa, he
thought IL opportune to secure a state
ment from the colonial secretary as to
the wal situation. He went IN to point
out that Cape Colony was now invaded
and overrun with Beers; and he asked
what prospect there vas Of repelling
the invaders, what L condition Of
Cape Colony would be after the war,
what about the prospects Of famine as
a result OF the governments policy or
devastation and where was cape
Colony's constitution which appeared
to him to be under lock and key since
the declaration of martial law.
Mr.. Chamberlain replied that farm
burning had been entirely abandoned,
and replaced by the policy of concen-
tration camps. He contended that
these were humane and satisfactory in
stitutions, as had been shown by the
fact that thousands of Beers came into
them voluntarily. THE government
has the best reasons TO believe con
tinued the colonial secretary, that n
vast majority Of the Beers acknowledge
themselves beaten and would gladly
surrender and resume peaceful pursuits
but for the comparative handful of
irreconCilables who are carrying on q
guerrilla war that is rapidly Degenerate
Ing into brigandaEe n absolute muir
der. Lord Kitchener is adequately deal
Ing with the problem by establishing
block house cordons within which the
peacefully inclined can safely settle and
be protected
Regarding the announcement by Lord
Kitchener that Commander Kritzinger
had declared his intention to shoot all
natives in British employ whether
armed or unarmed, Mr.. Chamberlain
said the government had telegraphed
Lord Kitchener to inform the Boer
leaders that such acts were contrary
to eigilized usage and that all guilty
persons OF this class, If captured, would.
be courtmartialed and executed.
Mr.. Chamberlain's declaration was
received with loud cheering,
"There seems to be an impression
that we have come to some kind of an
agreement with the Beers" said MI.
Chamberlain in another portion of his
speech, that natives are not to be en-
ployed in his war, but there is no such
agreement.
"Incursions into projected districts
must be more severely dealt with, If
there Is to be 'sniping' Of soldiers from
behind hedges and even of women
Rubbish! cried an Irish member.
Mr.. Chamberlain retorted that he, had
met some ladies' who had'.l5een as
saulted in this way.
"If things have changed from bad to.
worse in Cape Colony he continued,
at Is because the Cape rebels have
found rebellion a cheap, interesting
and eXe amusing performance. Then
there has been mistaken ienierIcy; and
this was the peliey in the past.os
W "BothH5,s, f3eNet land Schelkburger do
not tsaXSthat the war ~wasacaused by
the raids They saStheg are lighting For
Their INDEPENDENCE. II is nonsense to-
speak Of Offering terms TO. a who
say It must be "A: fight TO the finish,
This rs not.eth g fsoltcy of the govern
ment." y4as 3. o.
Sir Edward Gray, liberal impeftalist,
expressed bitter disappointment at the.
tone. of. Mr. Clamberlain's speech, al
though he agreed with the general mill
tary pohcy.of the government. Hessaid
the colonial secretary had deafte care
lessly with ~thefsubJect OF employing
native troops and had not distinguished
between Africans and highly trained
Intian troops. ~ # 4
John Redmond said Mr.. Chansber4'
lain's speech was "a. candid, If some
what brutal, exposition of the govern
ment's policy" and he prayed to God
that the resistance. of the Beers might
be strengthened.
The debate was continued for,an-
other. hour after MI. ! Ghalnberlafn's
speech and an amendment to reduce the
salary of the colonial secretary was re-
jected.
The house then took up other sub
jects and was still In session at 4
o'clock this morning.