MARTIAL LAY AT THE CAPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11782, 11 October 1901, Page 4

MARTIAL LAY AT THE CAPE.

, ] The conference jit Pretoria between - Lords Milner aid Kitchener and the " chiefs of the Cfpe Colony Adminj. tration has resulted in the proclj mation of martial law in all the p O 'J districts of thd Cape. That this should have hen necessary is re grettable. Thai being necessary, ft ■!■ has been done it last, is altogether ■ satisfactory. We have been warned" over and over gain, by those who ■' know the Afriklnder character test by prominent j Boers themselves' that decisiveness and sternness are essential to tbf winning of respect " for British rulejamong these belated survivors of tlje Seventeenth Cen. tury. Every j form of conciliation has been tried- The most amazing latitude has been given. Constiui. tional government has been con, tinued through an unprecedented period of rebellion, treason and go, dition. The Nineteenth Century men have and won overof this we have repeated proof. But the Seventeenth Century men, who apparently form the majority of the Afrikander element, scoff at our moderation as a weak ness and sneer at our regard i& i constitutionalism as a sign of- fear ' The result was inevitable and; plainly forecast to all but those be- c nighted people and their infatuate! supporters, the Pro-Boers. Since they take advantage of the law and order which are only effective among law-abiding and loyal-minded people, they must be checked by the only methods which are practical when large numbers combine to« gether to make free government im, possible. *