Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-12
CALLS PET DE-
WET 4 TRAITOR
UNWORTHY BROTHER OF THE
BOER FOX.
LETTER MAY BE A FORGERY
BOERS HAVE LOST ALL, AND
WILL FIGHT ON-GENERALS
CANNOT SURRENDER,

New York, Feb. 12.-Char!es d. Pierce,
the Orange Free State consul general,
has given out "a statement by w. ID.
Synman, comma ndant on Gen. Christian
De Vets staff, in reply to {; published
letter puiporting to have been written to
Gen. De Wet by his brother, Piet De Wet.
This letter urges Gen. De Wet to surren-
der to the British forces. Commandanr
Synman says:
II notice that the British censor is very
anxious 10 transmit this letter almost in
very risidly curtai!ed. Let us consider
the relationship between the brothers.
Piet De Wet was commaElant of the
Orange Free siate and took part in nu-
merous battles 1t w,as at Sand River.
when outfianked by Gen. French that
Gen. De Wet gave instructions for us to
leave our positions and fail back on
kroCnstalt when p. DeWet and | rode
from the general to carry out orders TO
start the conveys with guns and ammun1-
ton. | then gathered from him, (P De
WeD, that he was against proceeding
any further than Kroonstadt ana instead
of going to the appointed pace he
farm near Lindley. which was the last
time l saw him. We were then ordered
to concentrate our forces at ROOF and we
heard rumOrs that =. De Wet was COM
ing with Lord Roberts to surrender ru-
mcrs which We're reported by his burgh-
ers. Gen. De Wet then ordered his broth
er to come to the front at once and on
his refusal dismissed him ana appointed
( N, la io n no,
Wet then with his staff. four in al, went
to Kroonstadt ana surrendered.
We then heard that he was sent as
prisoner to Durham. Now, to my sur
prise, l learn that he is peace commits
sioner to Lord Kitchener. Does it not
seem s,rarge that now, when Kitchener
is proposing to send the prisoners to In
d,a, man like p. De Wet, who has held
a high position among the Beers, should
be used as a neaca envoy to he p the Brit
ish unless some consideration has been
given or promised?
lit also seems st,anga that p. De Wet
should now advise surrender, considering
chat he was the first to cross into the
Cape Colony and persuade the colon:a's
to join their brothers and leave that re
sponsib,e government.
This ct - $50 saws e. us educate our
children; here / would like to remind
you that the Orange Free State with its
free compulsory education for the last
fifteen years, is far in advance Of the
Cape Colony, which has still the volun-
tary system.
''The letter goes on to say that the
British have the country and are not
likely to give it up; it does not seem so
when Lord Kitchener has cabled for go
600 more troops. After all what part of
the two countries do the British actually
hold? Only the principal towns along the
railway. AS TO the taunts i'm regard to
the inactivity of the Transvaal burghers.
why if Botha and his commanders are
doing no fighting. is Kitchener keeping
10000 men at Pretoria?
II am inclined to think that this letter.
like the book of Mr.. Paul Botha, is Of
British manufacture.
"Knowing my people as I do, l say
here that it does not lie in the power of
President Steyn. General De Wet any
this is war for the people. NOT for gen
erals and presidents, anA cam never be
ended except by unanimous consent OF
the burghevs. Under present circum-
stances. why should the Beers give up:
They have lost everything. all they can
now gain is their caunsry and freedom,
for which they are fighting and will fight
TO the end