The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-29
PEACE N TIE AIR
British Leaders Going in
Strong for Cancellation.
WAITING FOR THE Beers
Nation in Dark Regarding the
Terms offered.

london, April 2S.-Peace is in the air.
Cancellation is the order of the day. Yet
all we know is that the Boer leaders. after
comforting woth Lords Kitchener and
Miner. have left Pretoria TO consult with
the commands.
What terms. if any. were offered TO
them; what terms. if any. they proposed
are matters of rumor and conjecture only.
Absolute independence and unconditional
surrender may be set aside, but there is
q good deal of room for speculation be-
tween those two extremes.
The government tells US that the nego-
tiations are not likely 70 be resumed in
less than three weeks. 1t is hardly con-
ceivable that there Will be much fighting
in the meantime. and the Boer chiefs
must feel the terrible responsibility of en-
tering upon another winter campaign.
Although the government had a ma
jority OF eighty-six for its reinstatement
of the old corn laws. the ministry came
better out of the division than out of the
debate Sir Michael Hicks Beach has
abandoned the pretense Of calling it
registration duty. It is tax, and as such
he imposes it. The result is that two and
a half millions win come into the exche-
quer and four millions will be added to
the price of corn.
why four nillions?" asked Mr.. Balfour
The answer is simple. There can be only
one price for the same article in the same
market, and the tax will raise it a shill-
ing a quarter. The Increase viii be Meth
more nor less upon British corn than
upon foreign, but in the former case it
will go into the pockets Of the producer;
in the latter into the treasury. In both
cases alike it win be paid by the con-
sumner.
In cidentally. the price of bread has
gone up since the introduction of the
budget.
The Cartwright case has united the OPP
position and divided the ministerialists.
Albert Cartwright was formerly the edi-
tor Of the South African News a liberal
paper in Cape Town, which has been sup
pressed under martial law. He published
in his Journal a statement that Lord
Kitchener had ordered Boer soldiers 10 be
shot in cold blood even if they surrender
ed and hoisted the white flag. This state
ment. of course. was a scandalous false
hood but il was not invented by Mr..
Cartwright. 1t appeared in the London
Times.
No proceedings weer taken against the
Times. but Mr.. Cartwright was prosecuted
for sedltious libel. found guilty and SEN
fenced to a years imprisonment. This
has now expired. and as his means Of
livelihood in South Africa has been de-
stroved he wishes to return TO his native
country.
The military authorities, however. in
formed him shat he is not TO be allowed
to leave Cape Town unless he give some
sort Of undertaking, apparently that he
would not engage in political agitations.
Mr.. Morley. who has taken up this case
with chivaIrous ardor. moved the adj
journment Of the house Of commons fall
ing 70 get a satisfactory answer from
the government He was warmly sup
ported by Mr. Asquith. who differs from
him altogether about the policy Of the
war. For the first time since the days
of simon de Montfort the English COM
mons have been told that an English civ
iiian can be banished from England by
martial law. The attorney general could
not give n single precedent.
Mt. Balfour sheltered himself behind
Lord Kitchener. 1t IS extremely imProb-
able that Lord Kitchener had anything 20
do with the matter. but be that as It may
tbe Government is responsible for Mr.
C,artvv-igbt's Illegal Punishment rs some
Of its followers reminded the ministry
pretty clearly in the debate