apart from British supremacy in South Africa was
a deceptive dream. England has a mission in Africa--that of the Boers
can only be subordinate to it. It would need the aid of a powerful
maritime combination to supplant England. The case of America does not
present an analogy; there England only was actually interested, but here
various other nations were concerned in their respective huge
investments. They would have a voice in the business. Armed intervention
would lead to a big European war and extreme misery to entire
Africa--just what the devil wants, but not the investor. Indiscriminate
franchise will cause the loss of national independence, and so might
ultimately cosmopolize and obliterate their distinctive nationality, but
so would also a war with England, with the total sacrifice of their
independence into the bargain. Let the Government rather prove to
England its sincere friendship and agree to deal well by the Uitlanders,
treating them as privileged guests, then the unhappy strain in relations
will cease. Above all, renounce that wicked Afrikaner Bond with its
motto of conquest. The demand for franchise is England's device of
self-protection against Bond designs. England will desist from that
demand if we renounce the Bond and prove our friendship.

That old Free Stater had moreover expressed his most earnest conviction
that a _modus vivendi_ upon the lines suggested would find ready
consideration as an alternative to the five years' franchise demand,
and that the British Government would hail with the utmost satisfaction
and relief any tentative towards a sound _rapprochement_ based upon the
contentment of the Boer people within the areas of their Republics and
which would terminate Bond aspirations for Boer supremacy in South
Africa. Had he been permitted, the old Free Stater would gladly have
called upon the British agent at Pretoria, Mr. Conyngham Greene, and
felt confident that the _modus vivendi_ would lead finally to a complete
cessation of British interference and to best relations and prosperous
conditions for all instead. He also cautioned the Government at
Pretoria, giving chapter and verse, against counting upon "the arm of
man." They would find they had trusted on reeds--it would be so in
regard to any foreign help, and even in regard to men of their own
nation in the Cape Colony.

During one of the interviews Mr. Reitz had remarked that he had a
special theory in regard to the situation; but