Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-03-25
A Wonderful People.

A Wonderful People.
The third year of the struggle of the
Dutch farmers of South Africa for in
dependence is nearing its close. AT the
outset no Boer sympathizer was hope
full enough to believe they could sustain
the vastly unequal conflict so long
And as to finally winning out, it seemed
beyond the dreams of the widest fancy
What wonderful race has been re-
vealed to the world since then Arace
surprising the legendary heroes of old
Greece. The glamour of poetry and
fable have failed to depict such wonder
full fighters, as those Beers appear, even
as seen through the haze and mist of
British report. And their situation and
chances OF success are really greatly
improved over what they seemed year
ago. There are several very significant
facts that one should know to correctly
apprehehd conditions in South Africa.
In the first place the Beers were at the
outset well provided with artillery.
They have itall yet. They have, in addi
ton, large number of cannon cap
tured from the British at different
times. They have, also, large tract of
mountainous country to the northeast
of Pretoria upon which the foot of no
English soldier has yet trod Then all
the fighting has been done during the
last year either, upon British soil, in
Cape Colony, or in the Orange Free
State which the British have annexed,
at least on paper. During this period
the British have had more than 200, 900
soldiers there, and the Boer from 10000
to 15,0oG. Nevertheless the Beers
have had TO travel long stretches to
find fight. They have been the
hunters not the hunted ones. In all
important engagements they have been
very successful. There can be no doubt
that the Boer losses in these engage
ments have been vastly exaggerated
by the British, for otherwise their little !
army would have been entirely wiped |
out of existance long before now, in
stead of being apparently as strong as
it was year ago. Great Britain reports
her money expenditure for the war
thus far at something over a billion
dollars. She has decreed an appro-
priation of over third of the next bill I
lion for the fourth year of the war. The
Beers have small army that subsists
chiefly upon what it captures from the
British, and makes no complaint of
not getting enough to keep it comforta-
bic. In short it cost the Beers next to |
while it costs the British about
a third of billion, each year, to car
ry on the war. The Beers ia this way,
can hold out indefinitely. How long
can, or will, the British hold outg Was
Bismark true prophet when he said
that the British Empire would find its
grave in South Africa? That the Beers
should win out may seem incredible.
And yet the day has passed when the
Judgment of the man, who believes in
their triumph, can be much criticised.
Once it was thought by many that the
Boer generals, men 6 transcendent mil
itary genius, according to modern ideas,
would one by one meet the fate of
brave soldiers, death or capture, and
with them would disappear their ar
mics. But this has not proved true.
Joubert was mcetally wounded. Cronie
was captured Greater ruen have
,isen TO take their places Given an
army drawn from such race, and
doubtless there will be found hundreds
II men equally as capable as Dewet or
)elarey. The impossible begins to
ook almost probable. The British have
Ictually lost the confidence of their own
,eople How can they DO any better /
he next year : Yes. 3 truly wonderful
ace, these descendants Of French Hug
lenots and Dutch fugitiges from reiig- 3
,us persecution, the emb2ttled Repub-
leans of South Africa. God bless their :
forts, say W..