The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-11-15
Ex-President Reitz of the Orange Free State
Does Not Believe in Peace
With the English.
He Laughs at the Suggestion of Teaching
British Gymnastics to the
American Soldiers.

y tall, strongly-built man OF fifty
elght. Il man in whom the years show
only in the ashen beard and the thin,
closc-croppcd hair. an erect military
figure. broad and deep in the chest,
i'll a word, a sturdy type of man with
an alert eye and II tight handclasp-
THIS is II. w. Rctz, state Secretary
or the South African Republic" the
unrccOnStructed Boer, the born fighter.
who. as he signed the peace treaty at
Nrrrrnglng, turned to Lord Kitchen
er and said, "You understand, do YOU
not, that l sign this paper in my repre-
sentative. not my personal, capacity"
lie WAS recently in Philadelphia to
deliver a lecture, and there he talked
at length with Il reporter concerning
the affairs of his people. At the hotel
with him was Captain Dutoit, of the
Hocr artillery, Il big, square shoulder
rd young man, who bears the scars Of
twcnty-cight wounds ut the hands of
the British
| This young man was with me
when | called upon President Roosc
Welt the other day." Mr.. Reitz said,
laying Il brown hand upon the arm
M Captain Dutoit, who smiled broadly
at the remembrance. "And strange
meeting occurred just as we were
leaving, and that's why the captain
smiles. We were going out of the
doorway when whom should we meet
coming up but Sir Michael Herbert,
the British ambassador. Captain Du
toit was in full BOcr uniform, but l
don't know whether Sir Michael rccog
nized it or not; lie gave no sign. He
had n military attache with him who
swiveled his eyes at U.S. Perhaps he
knew.
1--WE had very pleasant visit to
Mr.. Roosevelt, who, by the way, had
to sit with his injured leg on Il chair.
He spoke to me of my son, who was
here some time ago. and we chattcd
for quite long time about affairs In
general. Boer affairs? No, they were
hardly mentioned. Mr.. Roosevelt was
under the impression that | intended
returning to South Africa, because he
gave us a lot of very good advice. He
| told us to be careful when we went
back. / suppose he meant we should
not treat the authorities disrespectful-
/ ly. But am not going back. l can't
20 and be happy or contented. have
sent two Of my sOns-l have eleven,
you know-to Madagascar to look
around for good place for us all to
settle down. want to be near home,
if can't be there. But If Madagascar
is not promising, suppose I'll take
my family out to the western part of
this country. And yet, a man Is swal-
lowed up in the West! l should
much prefer being nearer home, as
grand and as hospitable as this coun-
try is"
'Is your longing to be nearer home,
so near home, in fact, born of the be-
lief that there may yet be an independ-
ent South African Republic?'
II cannot say what will come about,
but l can hope, as all of us can.
have come to this country to make it
plain that this peace is not one which
can or should be enduring"
Mr.. Reitz spoke with great care.
After moment of silence he said:
"If Lord Miner remains in Cape
Colony there will be trouble; I am
satisfied as to that. He shows no
sympathy at all with the people. But
leave him there" lie added, his eyes
twinkling. "It keeps the pot boiling"
"Why do you suppose the German
Emperor so suddenly changed his
mind about receiving Generals Botha,
DcNct and Dclarey, after he had in
vited them to Potsdam?"
"rhat was put-up job, done by the
British" the Boer replied quickly.
''Thc English papers 'wove falsehood
and then followed it up with another.
! don't believe the German Emporer
ever invited the three generals to meet
him. Why should he do SO? And