Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-08-22
FUTURE OF The EOEI,S.

| OF the yonuger Beer leaders, j. de Vii
liers, formerly Encouragement Of the
| Orange free state and q Scared fighter,
| who was n prisoner i'll bermuda, spoke
recently Mt the Union Square hotel in
New York OF the devotion OF the Boer
soldiers.
at is the only manful thing to accept
facts us We find them now" General de
Villers said tc n reporter Of the New
York Commercial Advertiser, @and that
we have done, hut it has required almost
greater courage than for the ~tiercest
charge on the battlefield. Ny consola.
ton now, and indeed all through the
weary struggle, has been the thought
that, while mahy high in rank were
found wanting in the hour Of need.
there were many MORE even IN the low
est ranks, who were ready for any
trial aud unafraid. Their devotion has
been the sustaining power through the
long three years. Never were the NO.
men Of "A distressed country more de-
voted, not only in the tender sympathy
'AiN ShpDOI 81 ~ lIltiu. Dul III
roughcr and more active service. When
the war broke out, the Boer women were
not only sewing and stitching, but plow-
ing and tilliuG the farms as we'll. There
is many instances OF a wife sending
back to the ranks her discouraged and
deserving hush md Il better and drawer
man. Others | have known vino, rather
than let their cattle fall into the hands
of the enemy, have followed the army
for days-likc the Roman mairon. you
say, who dispatched ter sons to the
battlefield with thus iurrwrll: return
with your shields or upon them Yes
that is quite true.
snow, Of course, we are bound for our
homes. smch rs they are, to do our share
i'll the advancement OF South Africa.
There Is "a great land north IT the Trans.
vaal still to bo subducd. aud the
portion of the labor that
falls to us will he quietly and faith.
fully done. The term 'Boer' itself
means 'tiller OF the soil but Olive
Schrciner we'll distinguishes between
our two main types. IL Il Boer knows
but Dutch, he is Il Boer; If two languag-
ca, he is South African There are
many of this latter class amoug us, and
they are well able to take up work in
any line OF science or industry.
"Lilic your fathers in the days of lT7G
We had but an unframed body Of men,
but i'll this age Of telegraph and cable
and machine gun it Is still more diff.
cult for Il raw army to win than in for.
mer centuries. But VI have fought our
fight, and Ii ii not the highest thing III
whether it he right or wrong, that it is
n JOY TO give your lifo Tor Il? ! am sure
it is.
"Ihore may be quite n Boer litera.
turc Of this war, for there are many men
who can give able accounts Of the
struggle and will. One literary clergy.
man in South Africa | know who has
hi- history almost complete. We have
several rhyinstcrs too. One in GU
own body ~ prisoners has written man
Surfing WIT tDDES. ms ID'tT Is " very
docile fellow, You know, and very man
arcahle if you understand him. but he
is n very feeling man, even il not al,
ways so very demOnstrntive. You have
heard how my comrades received the
news OF pcace-by singing the One
Hundred and forty sixth psalm. 1t was
no vain thing either; it was heartfelt
and pathetic to sec the scores Of fight
crs in prison walls cheerful and re
signed no matter what their fate. Ever,
morning and evening throughout the
war at sunrisc and sunset we have hcl,
prayers and Chantcd some song 81
psalm rs did Cromwe,Ps army on Mara
ton Moor or Dumbarton. IT iuny no
appeal to foreigners, hut it always In
to me, the wal hymn. p~laintive in il.
self, but made sonorous and iromcndoul
when many thousand thrOats lift it t.
the skies. And now all in over. Blu
we have fought II good fight and are
content. We have remained faithful
to our old government to the end and
mean to remain faithful to tho new