Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-28
BRITISH TOO SURE OF PEACE
PrOtraotion Of Conference Offers No Sub
~stantial Basis for Conclusions.
Beers NOT SATISFIED WITH TERMS
london Press Positive in It's Assertion
That the Boers and British Will
Eject AmicabIe settlement
of HOstiIities.

LONDON, May 27.-Prevalence through
out Of an %optomistic feeling regarding the
peace negotiations is hardly based on solid
facts. The protraction OF the conference
at Vereeniging is not necessarily a sign.
The delegates to the conference, although
they have abandoned their hope Of secur-
ing independence. still have many points
of difference with the government, while
an obstinate minority still regard the re-
sumption of hostilities as the best outcome
Of the present situation and at any moment
these points of differences may be ac-
centuated into a refusal to continue the
negotiations.
1t is most unlikely that those who are
In favor of peace will throw up the sponge
so long as a decent minority is DESTROYS Of
continuing the struggle and all these ele-
mems must be taken into account before
II is possible to give any sort of predic-
tion as to the issue Of the present negotia-
lions.
Cabinet VIII Decide Details.
The Daily Mail this morning says the
cabinet council to be held today will decide
upon points of detail, mostly of a hnan-
cial nature, which have been raised by the
Beers In the peace negotiations. Great
Britain's decision In the matter will then
be communicated to the Vereeniging confer
enee by the delegates at Pretoria, says the
paper, and, being the best obtainable terms,
they will almost certainly be accepted. The
results should be announced oficially either
Thursday or Friday Of this week, probably
on Friday, the day upon which King Ed
wards birth is celebrated.
Peace is quite certain, says the Daily
Mail, and the delegates at Pretoria are
only engaged in endeavoring to gild the
pill for the Vereeniging convention to swal-
low.
The Daily Mail says further: Our dis
| patches from Pretoria assert that numerous
communications are passing between Lords
Kitchener and Miner in South Africa and
London.
Lord Kitchener, although he is still full
OF energy, is much aged in appearance in
consequence Of the severe strain which he
has undergone. The concensus OF opinion
is that the recent negotiations have proved
Lord Kitchener to be a great diplomatist
as well as a great soldier.
1t is difficult to apprecite the magni-
tude of the difficulties Lord Kitchener has
had to contend with. The Boer leaders
are deeply impressed with his personality,
and trust him implicitly.
1t is understood that Lord Miner (the
British high commissioner in South Africa)
has gracefully admitted that the ultimate
credit for the accomplishment Of the great
task is due to Lord Kitchener.
Hitch in Negotiations.
LONDON, May 27-Just before Parlia-
ment rose, after midnight last night, a
rumor reached the Hobbies that a hitch had
occurred in the peace negotiations. Moth
ing official concerning this rumor could be
ascertained, but the dispatch to the As
ISOLATED Press from Pretoria, in which 1t
was said that the prevalence throughout
South Africa of the optomistic feeling in
regard to the peace negotiations was hardly
based upon solid facts may be regarded as
an indication that such a hitch has oc-
Cured. Little information from Pretoria
has recently been able to pass the censor
there.
That the government yesterday fully an
ticipated a speedy conclusion OF peace is
believed to be shown by the postponement
from yesterday until Friday or later OF
the budget bill In the committee stage,
with the view, as was frankly admitted on
the government side of the house, Of en-
abling the budget to be recast In the event
that peace is secured.
Glad to Drop Grain Tax.
The tax on grain has proved so unpopu-
lar throughout the country and has had
such an unexpected effect in reunitlng the
liberal party with a most effective election
cry, there Is little doubt the government
will welcome an excuse to drop 1t.
The belief that the government intends
to drop the tax on grain is so strong that
all members of the House Of Commons who
have leanings towar protection met in
formally last night and made an appeal to
the ministers to dispense with this tax.
Another strong reason for the desire to
do away with this tax is the effect It has
had in the colonies, where II has been re-
garded as an opportunity to demand pre-
f~erential treatment-a demand which will
be strongly pressed at the coming confer
ence OF colonial premiers in London, and
which is likely to cause the government
considerable difficulty by emphasizing a
sharply defined divergence Of opinion in
the cabinet. There the Chamberlain party
is advocating a "Zollveren" policy and the
retention of the grain tax, while the Bal
four party advocates Just the reverse. Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, the chancellor Of the
exchequer, is said to be quite willing to
surrender the tax on grain.
The Daily News predicts that once peace
is secured the present ministry will go to
pieces in twelve months because of the
irreconciable Discussions between the
| SALISBURY ana CnhmDeTldln SECTIONS. IN
the meanwhile Lord Rosebery is drawing
the liberals closer together.
THE HAGUE, May 27.-It is said in Boer
circles here that the peace proposals made
to the conference at Vereningen, Trans
vaal. includes the condition that the Beers
in the field be allowed to consult with the
Boer delegates in Europe before a definite
settlement is reached. It is declared also,
upon the same authority, that the British
government refused May 20 to accede to
this request.