Why, even the natives, as you may have
noticed, are sending subscriptions from their scanty hoards and praying
to be allowed "to throw a few stones for the King." Did not Poutsma say
as much the other day?

In the old days, of course, there were very strained relations between
the English and Boers, which had their roots in foolish and inconsistent
acts carried out by the Home Government, generally to forward party
ends. I need not go into them because they are too long.

Then came the Boer war, which, as you know, proved a much bigger
enterprise than the Home Government had anticipated. It cost Britain
20,000 lives and L300,000,000 of English money before the Boers were
finally subdued. Only about half a score of years have gone by since
peace was declared. Within two or three years of that peace the British
Government made up its mind to a very bold step and one which was viewed
with grave doubts by many people--namely, to give full self-government
to the Transvaal and the Orange River Colonies.

*Astonished at Results.*

When I traveled through South Africa the other day this new Constitution
had been working for a few years, and I can only say that I was
astonished at the results. Here and there in the remoter districts, it
is true, some racial feeling still prevailed, but taken as a whole this
seems absolutely to have died away. Briton and Boer have come together
in a manner for which I believe I am right in saying there is no
precedent in the history of the world, so shortly, at any rate, after a
prolonged and bitter struggle to the death. I might give many instances,
but I will only take one. At Pretoria I was asked to inspect a company
of Boy Scouts, and there I found English and Dutch lads serving side by
side with the utmost brotherhood. Again I met most of the men who had
been leaders of the Boers in the war. One and all professed the greatest
loyalty to England. Moreover, I am certain that this was not lip
loyalty; it was from the heart. Especially was I impressed by that great
man, Gen. Botha, with whom I had several conversations. I am convinced
that at this moment the King has no truer or more faithful servant than
Gen. Botha. Again and again did I hear from prominent South Africans of
Dutch or Huguenot extraction that never more was there any chance of
trouble between Boer and Briton.

I know it is alleged by some that this is because the Dutch feel that
they have on the whole made a good bargain,