THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. . TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1899.

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10312, 20 June 1899, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. . TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1899.

Unless President Kruger. alters his tactics it is to be feared that serious trouble will eventuate. It is impossible to expect a powerful nation like Great Britain to calmly look on at thousands of her subjects and children tyrannised over in the way the Boers are doing with the Outlan&ers. It is monstrous tc see a highly intelligent population, used to civilisation and all the ways of free men trampled upon in every shape and form. While the Outlandera are in the front ranks of mankind for enterpri c and intelligence — the two qualities being usually associated — the Boers' , social status and mode of

life are little if anything ahead of the Zulus. They live in a house instead of a beehive hut and consume goods that pay customs duty. But they pay a3 little taxes as they can help. In that respect they -approximate to the Zulus. Half of them are unable to read, and those who can do so peruse no other book than the Bible. But beyond the bigotry that might be expected from so low a state of education, they might not. be so bad to get along with were it not for the masterful o'd President. He cannot forgive the£x-. posure he underwent when he was a civil servant under the British Crown and receiving her Majesty's wages.; He was brought to book for an impropriety that is never tolerated in the Bri\ /ih|civii service, which will stand comparison with any other sirai'ar class of men in the world.

The despatch of Sir A Milner and the *reply of Mr Chamberlain are pitched in a key that must arouse fears that there is trouble behind. Taking an impartial view of the posi tion, we are inclined to think that old Oom Paul is playing a game of brag, or bluff, as it is styled in America. The crux of the question will be how long he can carry it out. It. is ridiculous to think that the Transvaal can defy Great Britain, even supposing she is aided and abetted by the Orange Free State. The odd part of it is that the Orange Free State has no grudge against British rule. The most amicable relations have always existed between the two Governments. We are loth to think that the Orange Rppub lie, after their experience of the kindly consideration shown to them on every occasion by the British Government officials that they will show a hostile front. They are, of course, Boers, but they are of a different, stamp to the Transvaalers. They havehad theireyes opened, and that will give them pause before embarking on a life and death strugg'e— as it will : be destined to be. The /people oE England put. up with the lebuffpf Majuba and Lain gs Neck with that phlegmatic indifference so characteristic of the Anglo,. Saxbri race. It was Mr Gladstone's mistake to give the ignorant Boers [perfect autonomy. But the incident wiil not bear repetition. It will be a very cold day for any half civilised race that tries it on. The feeling . .. of- the British public, is fully roused, although quietly ; aud their public men evidently mean business. Mr Chamberlain, whois all fight from the teeth outward, ia quita in earnest. He has been send-

ing reinforcements to the Cape iate'y, something that has not been done lor many years, and'' the other day : he demanded a vote for a.barracks-^and got it without a jnurmur. ..."•. -Si'mpiejas the tact was it was significant. The British feeling is welling up. This is shown by the sympathy d£ the colonies. The oddest part of it is that South' Australia, which; is three^pa'r(js;G'er- j mans, was the} first to show th^ir sympathy with the Outlanders., Of course it^only was necessary tOi strike the keynote ta. arouse the natural feeling. "Wherever the pulse of a. Briton beats there is a quick response to the feeling of. natural pricle ;and sentiment' carries the world a long way. Seatiment is'bhe of the most powerful of human incentives. It is when; British sentiment: is.arpusedlthajCiihe.* Boers will face., trbujjle tnat they tave; not probably dreamt of. But if Oom' Paul -forces things beyond tho bounds of safety he. will precipitate a conflict that he doe 3 not seethe end of. There can be only one ending. There will be no repetition of Mnjuba and Laings IJeck. . These were more- accidents and did not depend up the bravery of the respective forces. lT.he;result was what is ■ best described as a fluke. But it was one of those incidents that . cannot occur a;ain, and it will be an ill time for the Boers if they risk the consequences and temp.t .Providence to perch on the standard of the Boers.