The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1902. THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1902, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1902. THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

For the cause that lacks Assistance For the wrong that needs resistance For the future in the distance And. the good that we can do.

It is impossible to say how far the ! Boer delegates who met Lord Kifche- ! ncr a few days ag-o represent the feelings of their' commandos. But i Unless the rank arid file of the Boers give proof of a wisdom and discretion of which' their leaders so far have i shown no sign, we fear that little practical good will result from this conference. The proposals of the Boers correspond closely enough with the terms that Mr. Krttger and Dr. Leyds declared Wo- months ago represented the irreducible minimum of their demands: The independence of the two Eepublics under the protectorate of Great Britain, a complete amnesty for all the Afrikanders who had joined the Boers, the withdrawal of the proclamation' banishing the Boer leaders, and the rebuilding of the farms burned by British troops. On these points Mr. Kriiger said emphatically he was convinced that the opinions of Steyn and Schalk-Burger coincided with his own. The details of the peace proposals as cabled yesterday fully bear out the ex-Presi-dent's view, and while they leave hope for minor concessions on. either side they indicate only too plainly that the negotiations are likely to break down over the vital question of political independence.

It nmy be interesting at this juncture to recall the terms offered a year ago to Botha, and rejected by him through the obstinacy of Steyn and the irreconcilables. Lord Kitchener suggested that, in consideration of a colnplete .military surrender: (1) There should be a full amnesty for all bona-fide acts of war committed by the burghers, but that some enquiry would be necessary into the conduct of eolbnial rebels. (2) All prisoners were to be at once sent back. (3) Crown colony government was to be given as soon as possible, and this in turn Was to give place to representative government. (4) The Dutch and English languages were to De phi on an equality. (5) The British Government should assist to replace the farmers on their land, and should pay one million pounds to the Republics to help them to liquidate the liabilities incurred during the war. (6) The burghers were to be allowed sporting fire-arms. (7) The natives were to have the protection of the law, but not the franchise.

It was made perfectly clear by Lord Kitchener that these terms, if rejected, would not be offered again. But we find that the Imperial Government is displaying a most generous desire to prove its sincerity by granting many of the concessions that it had threatened to revoke: The points- in the Middlehnrg proposals most adversely criticised in England were the retention of firearms by the Boers, the million paunds indemnity, the. maintenance of the useless Boer dialect, and the restoration of the prisoners without safeguard or guarantee. In these particulars it was generally felt that the anxiety of the Government to show that they were honestly desirous of peace had led them to offer concessions that would exasperate the Cape loyalists', and might lead to serious results in the future. In the negotiations which are still progressing, it seems that the request for the retention of firearms has been finally and wisely refused. But the terms now offered are practically as' generous as those which Botha rejected a year aigo. It seems that the rebel leaders may expect to have the sentence of banishment remitted, that the Afrikander rebels may be sure of lenient treatment, and that England is still pre-pared-to. assist liberally in rebuilding and.restocking the Boer farms. As to the house-burning, Of which our enemies have made so much, it appears that about 250 houses in all were destroyed, under circumstances which made it questionable whether their destruction was a military necessity. These could be rebuilt at an outside cost of £50,000, and the moral effects of such an expenditure would more than justify it: But it is to be hoped that if the British Government is disposed to deal thus liberally with our enemies they will feel constrained to maike similiar provision for the loyalists, who have suffered at least as severely as the Boers, and have so far received, little recognition or gratitude for their unswerving patriotism. <• On the whole, there is too much reason to fear that the recalcitrant Steyn and his following may turn the scale against peace. The demand for political independence will never be granted, not even, as Dr. Conan Doyle /nuts it, if we have to go on figthting till every Boer is captured and departed, from Africa. The deadlock is unfortunate, but the difficulty is not of our making. There are many proofs, too, that the failure of the present negotiations will be received ■.

with general regret on the Continent. Within the last three months there has been a great reaction in favour of En-gland throughout European diplomatic circles. In Germany, Russia, and Austria especially, the endless complications of the Eastern question have inspired a feeling that it would be better, for the peace of Europe that England's hands should be once more free. But the approval of the Continent must not count for more with England mow than the enmity of-Europe counted a few months ago. If Germany nas still any conscientious convictions about Boer independence, she may console herself by recalling the words with which King William of Prussia justified the annexation of Hanover. "INot from the lust of conquest, but because it is our duty tp protect' our dominions .from the recurrence of danger:" -Bismarck went .further, in declaring that the Prussian Minister who would miss the first chance of getting rid of such an enemy would .be a traitor to his country and to Germany. But we do not need the example of Germany as an excuse. It is sufficient for.the Imperial Government to remember that, by-mak-ing uridue concessions to the Boers, we would, in Mr Chamberlain's rvords, "disappoint the just expectations of the nation, lose the confidence of our colonial kinsfolk, betray those jvho have trusted us, and invite the contempt of our foreign rivals."