The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea-Bangitikei Advertiser. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, MAY 15th., 1900. THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 15 May 1900, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea- Bangitikei Advertiser. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, MAY 15th., 1900. THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICS.

The war outlook from a British point of view, is growing daily brighter, and it v. ould now almost seem as if peace with honour wa-s within grasping distance. Kroonstad, like Bloemfontein, has been occupied by Lord Roberts without opposition, and tbo Free State President, firmly imbued with the belief tbat discretion is the better part of valour, has skipped to Lindley, the second temporary capital of the Free State. Not only was Kroonstad occupied without resistance, but our yesterday's cables told us that prior to his flight on the previous night, Mr Steyn had vainly endeavoured to persuade the burghers to continue the fighting. This is only another proof, if proof were wanted, that the Freo Staters have for a long time been fighting against their inclination, in a cause they recognised as hopeless. Now wc learn that the Boers, in retaliation, have declined to do any more fighting for the Free "State. He who lights and runs away 'lives to fight another day, and President Steyn, though he may keep out of the range of British bullets, will ere long have to meet a greater danger in the just and indignant ange)- of his own deluded burghers. As for Mr Kruger, the Transvaal President, he too is a falling idol. In the earlier stages of the struggle there were perhaps those who regarded Oom Paul as a venerable, pious God-fearing old gentleman, who really believed that the Almighty was going to spend his time in guiding Boer bullets to their proper destinations, and in miraculously upsetting the moderately accurate aim of Tommy Atkins and his colonial cousins. To-day Mr Kruger is differently esteemed. He has been losing bis charm day by day, and the dissolution of tho mask of suintliness has levealed the face of the sinner. He himself, by despatching his treasures for Continental safe-keeping, has revealed his professed trust in God to have been a hollow hypocritical sham, while the latest wo hear is that his friends in the Volksraad have openly accused him of corruption in connection with mining proposals. And this accusation, after he had delivered himself of an impassioned speech, in the course of ivhich he had once more dramatics ly "appealed to God to strengthen the right," and denounced Great Britain us "our everlasting enemy." A pretty spectacle, truly : the sleek, slippery professor of peace, confessing, in an unguarded moment of impassioned speech, sins which would do credit to the Devjl himself — the sins of envy, hatred, malice and everlasting enmity. Well, might the Chatband of tbe Transvaal exclaim, "Oh, what a wicked man lam 1" But Kruger, liko Steyn, is passing, going down like a stone in the deep waters, and as a commanding personality he is about to cease to exist. The chief question now is as to thc future political settlement of South Africa. Mr Chamberlain's plain statement of policy, as appearing in our cables yesterday morning, will meet with the approval of Britishers everywhere. The Republics, said the Colonial Secretary, will be administered like a crown colony or Indian native dependency and, whenever it is consider ed safe, will be introduced within tbe circle of self-governing colonies. Tbis is the only policy whieh would thoroughly satisfy the friends of the Empire. The Republics, aj Republics, must be blotted out; It is the p*enalty which must be paid for the blind folly which rushed them into a wicked and unwarrantable war : it is part of the compensation that must be paid to the affronted power. But, while this must inevitably be the result of force, its consummation must be accomplished by a discreet regard to the susceptibilities of the conquered people. It must always be remembered that hereafter, when the guns have ceased to sound, Dutchmen and Englishmen will have to live together as subjects under the one flag. Tbere can be no doubt that the collapse of the Boer oligarchy will m:an liberty and good government for Boer as well as Briton, but it will necessarily take some little time for the erstwhile Republicans to get over tho feelings of chagrin natural to subjugation, and to learn by experience tbat tbey have in every way profitted by the change. In any case, as Sir Lewis Melver, M.P., remarked at a recent meeting of the Liberal Unionist Association in London, "we cannot tolerate sny more independent powder magazines in South Africa." Despite Mr Krugcr's contrary assertions, tbe Boers will find tbat there aro no people in the world less vindictive than the British. Once let the enemy lay down aims, and John Bull, as of old, will be fouud magnanimous, courteous, and absolutely fair in his bill of costs.