Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-11
Beers ASK FOR TOO MUCH
Chamberlain Refuses TO Make the 0Oncss-
SiOnI Demanded BY Generals.
WOULD ovERTURN FIRST AGREEMENT
synopsis Of III Discussion Between
the Colonial Secretary and the
Generals RepresehtInR the
People of the T~ransvaaI.

LONDON, Sept. 1O.-A parliamentary
paper. issued today. gives a fun report of
the recent conference between the colonial
secretary, Joseph. Chamberlain, and the
Boer generals, BothA, Dewet and Deiarey.
Prior to agreeing to the interview. which
the Beers asked for August 20, the colonial
secretary requested a list OF the subjects
which It was desiped to discuss, and the
generals forwarded a list Of subjects, in
Guiding the following:
Complete amnesty TO the reoels.
A. yearly grant e. ell Boet widows and
orphans and MANNED burRhers.
Equal rights for the English and Dutch
languages In the schools and courts
That equal rights with the British be
terms Of surrender, including the right to
return to South Africa;
The immediate release of all prisoners of
The reinstatement of the oficials of the
late South African republics or compensa-
the British troops by the use removal;
burning or destruction by other means OF
all private property.
The reinstatement of the burshers in the
ownership Of their farms, sold under proc
lamation Of August l. 1901.
Compensation for the use OF the prop
erty Of burghers taken by the British au-
Payment of the lawful obligations of the
late South African republics. including
those incurred during the war.
The resembling OF the decision to add a
portion of the 1ransvaal to Natal.
Granting an extension Of time for the
payment of all debts due by the burghers
TO the late governments OF the South
African republics.
Proposals Surprise Chamberlain.
Mr.. Chamberlain, In replying, expressed
great surprise at the number and character
Of the proposals., pointing out that the con-
ditions agreed upon at Vereeniging we're
duly accepted by the b~urghers and the Brit
ish government and that they could not be
reopened nor could proposals rejected at
the time be again discussed. II the inter-
probation of the agreement was open to
question. his majesty's government would
endeavor to remove all doubts.
Al the opening Of the conference the Eoer
generals diselaimed any desire to alter the
terms OF surrender in any way. On the
subject OF amnesty to rebels, General Botha
expressed disappointment that, after the
promise given by Lord Kitchener, the rebels
had not been granted AMNESTY at the me
Of King Edwards coronation, in reply to
which Mr.. Chamberlain promised that the
imperial government would not hinder any
generous intentions Of the governments Of
Natal and Cape Colony in regard to rebels.
ReIt1 Is Made Exception.
AS TO the return .; surshs-s 20 serth
Africa, the colonial secretary sdeclared 1t
was the governments attention TO retain the
right to prevent the return Of disloyal per-
sons who had not frankly accepted the
terms OF peace, instancing former State
Secretary ReitE Of the Transvaal as a case
In point, and saying that Mr.. Reitz was
using language on the continent inconsist-
emit with the declaration. he had sikned at
Vereeniging. g.
General Botha said he hoped that the
t "sins OF one man would not be visited on
Others" adding, "If one man says foolish
things let him suffer ttherefor %alones''
Mr., Chamberlain infermed the generals
that there was no truth in the report that
the government intended to sell farms be-
I longing to burghers. Regarding some
farms sold in the Orange River Colony,
under the proclamation of amnesty OF 1901,
Mr.. Chamberlain promised that the farms
bought by the government would be re-
a transferred to their former owners. IS
General Botha criticised the composition
= Of the commission appointed to allot the
grant Of $4,000, 900 for the purpose Of
assisting burghers and their Families to re-
, turn to their homes and for restocking
their farms, etc, and objected to national
, scouts serving as commissioners, but Mr..
Chamberlain maintained that the govern
ment must be true to those who supported
it..
Beers Are to Leave Natal,
3 Relative to the transfer to Natal Of part
: of the Transvaai, General Botha said the
' burghers proposed 70 trek therefrom. He
: lived there, but he saw no chance OF re-
/, naming. the feeling OF the British in
Natal being so strongly anti-Boer. -
On the subject Of martial law, Mr. Cham
Q berlain said it would not be continued
much longer. q.
The colonial secretary refused to recog-
nize, as burghers, foreigners who had been
naturslized during or just before the war,
q saying they had been bribed by the reso-
1 luton Of the volksraad giving burghers
e rights as a reward for taking part in a
conflict in which they wer6.!not concerned.
/ General Botha concluded with an appeal
y for the widows and orphans, and said ne
considered. that the appropriation Of SIS,
000, 900 was inadequate, X ~ 80
Referring to this Mr.. chamberlain CON-
pared Great BritAin's treatment of the
: Beers with the treatment of The south by
the north after the civil war in America.
81 would remind the general" said Mr..
Chamberlain, that what we have under
= taken Is under similar circumstances. To
d take one case in my time, I r~ecollect
NNAg . "a " SANAh "aA III AAlGIlChi
= and I appeal to that. because that stands
d out as a case In which more than ever be-
fore, OF indeed ever since, the victor, the
conqueror, showed. a magnanimous and gen
" erous feeling to the conquered. There was
g good reason for this, because they were
brothers OF the same race, the sam reiy-
i ion, the same everything. II was a civil
war, but even in that case. the northern
side. that Is to say, the victorious side,
n made no provision whatever, either by way
Of grant, pension or allowance, to the peo-
pie who had been wounded. to the side tina
40 had been conquered. They gave them theI,
J. lives and their liberties, and after a period
le Of ten years gave them votes. but did not
give them any money compensation.
" England GOes Step Further.
te But we have gone a step beyond that. be-
cause We have contributed. in addition e
Al all our own enormo expenses. a very
Is large sum to relieve those who are really
le destitute in our new colonies. We have
done more than | think was expected, and
n we have done all we can aford to do, and
y I think Il would be undesirable for tn,
- uanaraIa IN nFaaa rs any furthaF In -Nhi,