THE DUTCH PLOT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 3955, 22 January 1900, Page 7

THE DUTCH PLOT.

THE LOYAL SCHREINER AND MR REITZ. A NOTABLE INTERVIEW. ‘’The “Cape Times” of recent date contains ah important letter from Mr Theoclbre Schreiner, a brother of the Capo based on a manifesto issued to tie Orange Free State burghers by Mr Reitzj State Secretary of the Transvaal. Mr Schreiner endeavours to throw a little personal historic light on the question as- to who is responsible for the present l War. He says that he met Mr Reitz (then a Judge of the Orange Free State) in ‘ Bloemfontein between seventeen'and eighteen years ago, shortly after the retrocession of the Transvaal, and .when lie was busy establishing the Ainkander rJßond. Mr Reitz did his best* to, got Mr Schreiner to become a member of'the Afrikander Bond, but, after studying-its constitution and programme, he refused to do so, “whereupon the following 1 , colloquy in substance took place between,.us, which has been indelibly imprinted on my mind ever since ” : J Reitz: Wiry do you refuse? Is the object', of getting the people to take an interest'in political matters not a good one? ' ; •

Myself:; -Yes, it is; but I seem to see plainly Jicre between the lines' of this constitution much more ultimately aimed at than’ that.

, ..-Bpit^irnWhat? - -Myself: I see quite clearly that the ultimate object aimed at is the overthrow- of the British power and the ex-pulsion,-,of the British flag from South Africa;. i‘ ' Ileitz. (with his pleasant conscious - smile,-‘aiSi on© whose secret thought and purpose'had’been discovered, and who was - not-altogether displeased that such was tho case):' Well, what if it is so? .-Myself: You don’t suppose, do you, that flag is going to disappear from South:,'Africa without a tremendous struggle-.and .fight? ■ , 1 < - ■ Reitz (with the same pleasant self-con-Sciousi, Belf-satisfiod, and yet semi-apolo-getic : smile)': Well, I suppose;not; but ievefermihvn'at of that ? : 4 Myself Only this 1 , that when that struggloj.takcs place you and-1- will be on opposite sides; and what is more, the God-who was on the side of the Trailsval in the date war; because it had right ori its sidej Will bo on the’ side of England, beoEus'P Hei 1 must view with' abhorrence any plotting and’scheming to overthrow her powjer and position in'South Africa, which' have been ordaiued by Him. Reitz: ’ We’ll see. ; 1 TKuSsthe conversation ended,’but during the seventeen years that have elapsed (Mr Schreiner says) I have watched the propagarida for the overthrow of British ; powori'in .South Africa being ceaselessly ; sprdad, .’.by every’ possible means—thp press,.the pulpit, the platform,- the schools, -the college, the Legislature—until it lias culminated in the present war, • of -which Mr Reitz and his • coworkers are the’ origin l arid the cause. Believe -me/ sir; the day - on' which F. ; I W./Reitz sat down to pen his ultimatum' to’Greafi;:Britain was the proudest and' happiest- moment of his life, arid one which bjad for long years been looked forward, tqf by him with eager longing and expectation. 1 ’