Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-01
A Long Dispatch From Lord Mil.
ner Taken as Hopeful
Sign.
Copies Sent to Balfour. Lans.
downe and Other High Brit
ish Officials.
Terms Upon Which Beers Will
Give Up Are Made
Known.

IIOn
ment is derived from the conduct OF
direct peace negotiations in South Al
RIGA long cable dispatch from Lord
Miner reached Mr.. Chamberlain at the
colonial office yesterday. 1t was evi-
IDENTIFY Of the first Importance, for
copies were made by confidential clerks
and sent by special messengers to Mr..
Arthur Balfour, government leader OF
the house; Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
chancellor of the exchequer; the mar
uuis of Lansdowne foreign secretary,
and the marquis of Salisbury, prime
minister. A copy was also sent to the
duke of Devonshire, the liberal unionist
leader in the ministry, who Is IN Paris.
These members of the government
form. with Mr.. Chamberlain. the execu-
tive section of the cabinet.
Presumably Lord Kitchener and Lord
Miner have been made acquainted
with the terms on which the Boer lead
terms are believed to contain something
that was previously rejected; and Lord
Kitchener and Lord Miner are under-
stood to have cabled in detail their rea-
sons for thinking that concessions
should now be made. Lord Miner, Il
converted to moderate counsels, may
convert Mr.. Chamberlain; and, as these
men have long been the chief obstacles
to peace optimism may be justified. It
is certain that three fourths of the cab
met yearn to bring this inglorious
struggle to an end. and the king is
almost fiercely resolved that the war
shall be brought to conclusion before
his coronation.
1t is understand that the Boer lead
ers now demand some sort of assurance
in regard to the duration of the transit
ton period pervading the establish
ment of autonomous government in the
late republics. They are also believed
to have insisted on modification of the
ridiculous Punishment decree of last
autumn, and that permission be given
to rebels to leave South Africa should
they so desire. Other stipulations are
for the rebuilding Of burned home
steads, and advances from the imperial
exchequer on easy terms to enable
burghers who have suffered by the war
to restart in life. THERE'S really not one
of these demands which could not be
conceded by England without loss OF
tc Oh mn l.
sion that all of them will be granted.
All the information available here
agrees that If Christian Dewet and Mr..
Steyn remain irreconcilable the Trans
walters will refuse to continue the fight,
which would mean surrender on the
terms of Louis Botha, Delarey and two
thirds of the Beers now in the field.
Military experts from South Africa,
row here, confidently declare that. re-
Ieved of the pressure of the Trans
walters, Lord Kitchener could and
would dispose of Dewet and his men In
six weeks.
{ Public opinion among all classes in
England is so strongly in favor Of peace
upon any honorable terms short of Boer
independence that even the Chamber
lain element in the government would
scarcely dare to assume the responsible
iity of prolonging the war If the Beers
We're to offer the necessary concessions.
There is a curious mixture Of opinion
as to the effect that Cecil Rhodes death
will have upon the peace prospects. The
Transvaalers of the last ditch type may
be somewhat less irreconcilable now
that the organizer of the Jameson raid
is unable to see the realization of any
CT his ambitions. On the other hand,
such an extreme pro-Boer as w. r.
Stead declares that Cecil Rhodes death
is serious blow to peace and pacifica-
uon because he understood the Dutch
character In South Africa better than
any other Englishsnan. = 8