Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-05-27
PEACE IS CLOSE At HAND
Official Announcement of the End of
HostiLitias in South Africa Is
Very Soon Expected.
THE ARTICLES ARE ALL READY TO SIGN
Terms Have Been Fully Agreed Upon
and the Present De1ny IL Only
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Said TO BE
overwhelmingly of some Is the
Boer Demands.

London, May 26-Thereis every rea-
son to believe that peace in South
Africa is practically secured. How
soon it will be ANNOUNCED depends,
apparently, more. upon the convent.
ence of the >Boer leaders than upon the
inclination of the British government.
The private and official educes re-
ceived tonight in London from South
Africa all point to The same oonelu.
sion. The delay Is. technical, and 10
end the long war seems ITO % theda-
sire of both British and Boer leaders.
The latter, however, are unable to
convince all their followers Of the wis
dom of acquiescing to the terms Of
peace. Information as to what tran
spired at Fridays meeting OF the cab-
met is closely guarded, but it Is not
likely that the cabinet transactions
were of vital import. The surmfse
of one well Informed person places the
sum total of the deliberations OF the
cabinet ministers at decision regard
ing points of the peace agreement ct
entirely minor Importance. Another
surmise is that the cabinet has mere
| ly sent a rather mock ultimatum to
South Africa, which can be used by the
Boer leaders in explanation. to their
| forces.
| Think End Has Come.
| Both these suEmises probably con-
| tain an element of truth but neither
can in any way affect the widespread
belief in the best informed quarters
that the end of the war has come.
In fact, those persons who ore best
acquainted with the actual details OF
the present negotiations only qualify
this optimistic expression of opinion
by guarded reservations concerning
the extent of the personal control OF
the Boer leaders over their COM
mands.
Thinks Terms Are Liberal
A member of the house of commons
who is in close touch with the gov
eminent said that he believed every
thing was settled, and that the Brit
ish terms would be found unexpected
ly liberal.
Summary of Boer Demands.
The daily News claims to give the
Boer demands as follows:
L Either an immediate grant Of self-gov-
eminent, or, failing that, to fix a date fos
the establishment of self-government
g. In case self-government be deferred,
that the Beers should be entitled to advise
with their temporary rulers.
g. Amnesty for the rebels
A. Permission to retain their rifles foS de-
tense against the natives
S. Permission to retain their saddle
horses.
g. A guarantee that the natives should not
be treated upon an equality with white men.
T. That no limit shall be placed Upon the
money for rebuilding and restocking the
farms.
Articles Ready to Be Signed.
Berlin, May 26-The foreign office
here has been advised from Pretoria
that peace in South Africa is practical
" concluded. The articles Of surren-
der are ready to be assigned, with the ex-
ception that the approval Of the BRIT
ish cabinet Of the wording Of the Sec
ondary provisions is awaited The
suspension of hostilities may be an
nounced at any.,hour. This intellt
gence, it is understood, reaches Baron
Won Richthefen, the foreign secre-
tary, through a privileged cipher cable.
gram from the German consul at Pre-
toria ~