The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-02
Columns.
Journal, Il days, 1904
Tribune, 81 $s5,, 81 days, 1854
Times, s $s', 81 days, 999
A WELCOME PEACE

John Bull gives a long sigh Of relief.
Lord Kitchener's dispatch from Pretoria,
Saturday, supplemented by the royal an
nouncement to the British nation, are suf-
ficiently official to remove all doubt as to
the conclusions Of the negotiations for
peace at Vereeniging.
The Beers have obtained very
liberal terms, which the British gov
eminent was, no doubt, very willing to
grant, so as to clear away the storm
clouds before the coronation of King Ed
ward. ,,...s, II nGrT s
To the British government the coming
of peace brings very great relief. This
war has been more costly and exacting
upon Britains resources than any war
since the fall Of Napoleon. More men have
been employed in South Africa than were
employed in the Peninsula war or the
Crimean war. The British war secre-
tary has stated that, since the outbreak
of hostilities, the government has sent
100000 regulars to the seat of war, be-
sides $4,000 drafted men land that over
100000 men altogether, in connection with
the army, are maintained to-day in South
Africa. The London Statist recently fig
ured up the cost of the war up to March
at $796, $40, 900, and estimated expenditures
this year increase the sum to 81, liza, &c.,
900. -.
The loss in men killed or died from
wounds or disease is stated at from Is 900
to 2S,O0O and the number Of officers and
men invaded and sent home brings the
total loss in men up to about $4,000.
The gain in territory is $4,000 square
miles, with the prospect of some further
trouble with Beers who have settled and
organized a government in the north
Transvaal wilderness and with a few
bands of irreconcilable Beers, who pro-
pose to fight as guerrillas.
On Oct. git will have been three years
since Kruger issued his ultimatum to
Great Britain and since then the fight of
the Beers has been Of the most heroic
kind, quite as strenuous as the resistance
Of the people of the Caucasus to the armies
Of Russia. The Beers receive the ad-
miration of the world for their logged
persistence in a struggle, one Of the most
unequal in the history of the world and
the ultimate result Of which could easily
be predicted. The victor has no great
cause for rejoicing over the victory as a
feat Of arms, for Britain has suffered In
her military prestige, which has to be re-
gained. The power which led in the
humiliation Of Napoleon has been in
certain sense humbled by the superior
strategy of the "unscientific' Beers and
the conqueror has been forced to adopt
their tactics, after committing no end Of
tactical and strategic blunders.
It is quite possible, indeed, that France.
Germany or Russia would have had the
same experience as Britain has had, fight
ing willy enemy in that immense ex-
panse Of veldt and kopjes, and where
water holes and streams are far between.
No European power, indeed, could have
performed such work Of troop tranuspor-
tation such long distance and with such
celebrity as Britain did None of them had
the ships at command to do it.
So far as the terms of peace are con-
cerned, as cabled they are mainly based
on the Middleburg proposals offered by
Lord Kitchener to the Beers on March 7,
1901. The terms are in substance: sCes-
sation Of hostilities and surrender of all
war material by the Beers; amnesty for
Boer fighters for all bona fide acts Of war
committed during hostilities; civil admin
istration to take the place of the mill
tary regime at the earliest practicable
date, and representative element to be in
troduced as soon as practicable, with ulti-
mate self-government; Dutch and English
TO be taught in the schools and used in
the courts: indemnity to the inhabitants