The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-19
ANOTHER poFR WAR.
So Predicts Colonel Blake, Who
Served in the Recent One.

philadelphia Public LEDGER
Colonel John y. +. Blake, for many
years "a fighter OF Indians with the Sixth
United States cavalry on the western
frontiers. and as colonel OF the Irish
brigade I'm the BOcr war such "A terror 90
the English that "a prize OF $500 was Of
Tered FOR hlS capture, talked on his exc
periences and Impressions gained iu
South Africa with much enthusiasm
Colonel Blake came 10 Philadelphia from
Washington. and be win spend several
days ln this city. He viii speak in the IN
terests Of lrishmen and the Beers and
be the guest OF honor al number OF at
you bet know conditions down
there said Colonel Blake. when asked
20 say something about the present status
@. affairs an South Africa. Il went 10
that country In 1891 and l spent eight
years there. I was al Pretoria when the
war started and J was made colonel OF
the Irish brigade as soon as IL was or
gained. II was composed OF men from
all over that country, as wei as many
from other countries. including America.
There were 800 men In the brigade and
not one OF them received a cent OF money.
I'm an there were $500 Irishmen fight
ing for the Beers And / am proud 90
say that not one proved a traitor They
wouldn't surrender. For their faithful
ness the lrlShmen who went through the
war are thought more Of By the Beers
than any other foreigners, and the men
Of my brigade were the only foreigners
10 receive certificates Of merit from Cen
eral BOtha."
Speaking Of the efforts made by the
British 70 get him out OF the way,
Colonel Blake, laughing as though enjoy
ing a good joke said;
"You may be mighty sure / was not
going TO let them get hold OF me when
i knew that $3.50 was offered for my cap
ture. We fought in ali the important
battles of the war and were surrounded
BY British soldiers hundreds Of times,
but we fought through them
Referring 10 the mission of Secretary
Chamberlain in the Boer country Colonel
Blake said. He will absolutely fan 90
accomplish reconciliation. Chamberlain
Is "A rascal and the Beers would not be-
lieve him CT Miner on their oaths.
Chamberlain object in going % South
Africa Waa IO Try 10 induce the mine own
ers there TO submit 20 the 10 per cent tax
which England has imposed upon the
gold output. But the miners are not going
TO pay the tax. They say they VIII SIT
tight and let their mines lie idle rather
than submit. 10 IS so enormous thaL very
few of them could pay.
Mining conditions are very bad In the
TransVaal since the war Now white
men receive SLZ5 and hattirs half that
amount for a days work, while before
the war the minimum wages for white
man was S. Many men earned $500 "A
month.
The same demoraHzing conditions eX-
trAQ 10 al tue INTERESTS VI tli' A'''L1
Their towns and houses and farms are
destroyed, and tho country away from
the railways is a barren waste.
Another proposition made by Cham
berlain TO the Beers was permission 10
import Chinese labor in return for the
Dutch assuming the 500, 10000 war debt
But this they will not accept. and there
will be a rebellion as sure as there ls
any attempt made TO force matters.
Disturbances are continually breaking
ont in the FFrausvaal and there Is sure
to be another outbreak I'm South Africa.
And when ID comes again there will not
be 5000. but 10000 soldiers I'm the Boer
armies. They are preparing for IL and
the English know IT, The Dutch have
thousands of rifles and horses.
England is going 10 grant concessions
In Ireland now" said the colonel. in
speaking OF the Irish question, because
she Is pushed hard. The backbone Of the
English army is Irish and the Irishmen