Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-06
ON INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Subject of Conference With
Boer Delegates
IN LONDON YESTERDAY
GENERALS WERE MERELY ASK
ING CERTAIN CONCESSIONS.
Secretary Chamberlain Uneasy at At
titude of Loyalists in South
Africa Now.

LONDON, September 6-Nothing i'm
portant, it is believed now, is likely to en-
sue as result of the conference held yes
terday at the colonial office between Co
lonial Secretary Chamberlain and the Boer
Generals Botha, De Wet and Delarey.
There may be, however, slight notifications
of the plans outlined for the resettlement
of matters in the annexed territories, but
these will be in the nature of internal
changes, more interesting to political econ
omists than to the world at large; and
even these will only occur after Mr.. Cham
berlain shall have consulted with Lord Mil
ner, British high commissioner in South
Africa, and, after such consultation, have
laid the matter before the cabinet
What transpired at Yesterdays confer
ence is little more than what happens
when one of the members of the cabinet
receives a trade or other delegation in sup
port of its particular views. No topic real
ly vital to the conquered republics, far
as their relations to the outside world are
concerned, could be admitted to discussion.
Such points were irrevocably settled when
the terms of peace were signed.
Asked Individual Concessions.
The concessions which the Boer generals
urged Mr.. Chamberlain to make were al
most vitally important to individual Beers,
especially to the land owners, but of COM
paratively small Importance to the rank
and file in England, except to those who,
through Investment or otherwise, are d.
rectly concerned in South Africa. Except
for the breaking of precedents. hampering
Lord Miner or antagonizing the loyallsts
of Cape Colony and Natal, it may safely be
said that Mr.. Chamberlain might easily
have conceded all the generals asked.
These exceptions, however, involve so
wheels wit hin wheels that the iiScnS-
sionS are likely to be protracted, with a
result that will combine much of a COM
promise as is consistent with the imperial
dignity. These halfway courses and undra-
| matte denouements do not enter into the
reckoning of the English public, whose i'm
aSination has been unusually fired by ac-
counts Of Fridays conference. Nothing has
so forcibly brought home to the average
Englishman the end of the war as the visit
| Of the Boer generals to Mr.. Chamberlain $
office, and its possible results are magni-
| fed out Of ali reckoning.
Government Will Be Liberal.
The British government will give the
| Beers all it can in a desire to gain their
cooperation in the establishment of the new
regime, but already there is a good-sized
storm brewing among the Beers of Cape
Colony, Natal and Rhodesia, and among the
British residents of the South African colo
mes over what is termed the imperial gov
ernments anxiety to reward disloyalty and
aggression One of the colonial premiers
recently said to a representative of the AS
Sociated Press:
Mr.. Chamberlain is more scared now by
the South African Ioyalists than he ever
was by the Beers. With such conditions
prevailing it is obviously impossible for Mr.
Chamberlain Immediately to secure any i'm
portant concessions for the Beers, even
though he may recognize the justice Of their
Claims.