Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-13
Lord Kitchener Asks for Instructions on
Three Essential Points.
SIGNIFICANCE ATTACHES TO HIS APPEAL
Beers, it is Urged, Will Demand Their
Absolute Independence,
DATE OF AUTONOMY IMPORTANT MATTER
Hardest Point for England 20 Concede
said TO he Granting of
Amnesty 40 the Cape
Rebels.

Copyright, 1902, by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON. April 12-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram. 1.-THE i'm
preston that peace is impending still pre-
walls tere, though In ministerial quarters 1t
is positively assured that there is no justi-
hcation for optimism.
The anxiety, therefore for peace is at
tested by the extraordinary public interest
In todays cabinet meeting and by the fact
that both Colonial Secretary Chamberlain
and Chancellor of the Excheauer Hicks
Beach, looking very i'll, left sick rooms to
attend II.
The World correspondent learns that Lord
Kitchener has asked for instructions on
! three points, which he had reason TO an
| ticipate that the Beers would raise, namely.
Amnesty for colonial rebels definite
undertaking as to the period within which
self-government would be accorded to the
Beers. Repatriation of prisoners Of war.
The Beers, IL is said. will consider no qual-
| ned or elastic undertaking on these poiRts,
| even II they forego their demand for iu-
| deSendence.
| From The Hague comes a report that the
| most the Beers will consent to yield Is
British sovereignty over the land, and that
If England declines this they will fight on.
The mere fact that the Boer leaders con-
sented to confer under British safe conduct
has been accepted by the jingoes as con-
elusive evidence OF weakening. This is
shown by the contemptuous tone in which
the Times editorially treats them.
| But Lord Kitchener is better able to
Judge the value of securing peace from such
indomitable foes, and now, as on former
occasions, all his influence is thrown into
the scale in favor OF the most liberal terms
| obtainable from the imperial government
| great parade was made today by way
| Of demonstrating the wonderful resources
of the War Office of alleged plans for send
Ing $1,000 more reinforcements. But this
could only be done by dangerously depict
ing the home garrison.
Peace within n Distance.
LONDON, April 12.-"Peace is within
| measurable distance" That probably sums
up the present crop OF rumors, conjectures
and deductions which has Great Britain
by the ears. "Is IL peace?" meets the eyes
in flowing posters of newspapers, and the
question Is echoed throughout the United
! Kingdom. As pointed out in these dis
patches Monday, and confirmed by Mr.. Bal
| four, government leader In the House OF
Commons, the reports of the end of a con-
fict of such length, involving so many last
practically without any time being devoted
to negotiating, are palpably premature.
1t is announced that the ministers at to-
days meeting, which lasted an hour, dis
cussed communication from Lord Kitch-
ener. This is quite within reason, and gov
ernment circles expect several similar mes
sages from Lord Kitchener before anything
definite can be announced. While LORD
! Kitchener's message may have been OF vital
Importance, the Associated Press has good
reasons to believe that the sudden sum-
mons of the cabinet ministers was due to
desire to decide whether or not the pre-
sentation of the budget could be postponed
until the Klerksdorp negotiations are set
tied one way or the other
Criticism Is Certsins
Whatever the proposals OF the chancellor
OF the exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks Beach
may be, they are bound to be greeted by
storms of criticism from various quarOers
Peace will not modify the crying need OF
additional revenue, but 1t would take off
the sting from the additional taxation,
which is bound to raise a protest from
every class or industry effected In the
national Jubilation over the end Of the
war, these protests would be lost to sight.
1t would be no surprise II 1t is announced
ON Monday that the budget announcement
has again been postponed, and II this DOES
not take place Parliamentary circles will
regard II as one of the best omens that the
government practically is assured OF a sue
cessful termination OF the Klerksdorp con.
ference.
The cabinet council today while IL prob.
ably did not fulfill the sensationally at.
trlbuted function of deciding between peace
or war undoubtedly reviewed the entire
a.
the situation in South Africa.
Degree of CredibiIity.
How complicated and impossible Of on
hand solution is the latter question, can
be judged by an apparently authentic state
ment published in the Edinburgh Evening
News this afternoon. The news. whose
editor is in close touch with Mr.. Kruger de-
= clares that the Beers are prepared to ac-
cept the following conditions:
] They will make absolute independence a
} cardinal feature, il they can come to a
, satisfactory agreement as TO future inter
nal The Punishment and conhscation of
property proclamation must be cancelled
? and confscated property must be restored
! to It's owners with remuneration for private
/. stock and property destroyed or taken by
, the British. Full recognition OF state
J debts contracted before and after hostili
ties and up to the date of the annexation
proclamation issued by Lord Roberts.
The language question is to be mutually
agreed upon. The release Of all political
prisoners. A date to be fixed when all
prisoners Of war will be returned to South
Africa. The ofhcers OF one or two friendly
powers to be accepted to superintend the
carrying out Of the terms Of peace.
l Amnesty to Cape Rebels.
OF these the cardinal point and the hard
est for Great Britain to concede is the
G granting OF amnesty to the cape rebels, not
9 so much because Of British opposition, bu:
c owing to colonial opposition in South Al
81 hrica itself. While there is no reason Ia
e believe that this is not a semi-oficial sum
e mary OF the Beers demand. there Is reason
I to think they may be modified.
G How strongly the government shares that
Q hope may be judged from the fact that
D London police officials we're ordered today
to keep especially large fOrees on duty