, so that prosperity and
progress may be brought to the doors, not of some only, but of all.
That will be my earnest endeavour. Many of you have sustained almost
irreparable losses through rinderpest, and you know what has been done
in order to help you to tide over these hard times. I desire to proceed
in this direction everywhere that such assistance may be required, to
the end that many of the very pith of the people, at present bowed under
the yoke of adversity and misery, may be helped and heartened by the
strengthening of the feeble knees."
I do not think I need quote any more. As will be seen by the first
paragraph, Mr Kruger takes the Scriptures as his guide in matters of
policy, and, as he considers the Boers to be the chosen people, we may
infer what the miserable Canaanites who dwell along the Raad may expect
from the course adopted by Joshua towards their ancient prototypes. The
second paragraph is more secular, but the policy of Mr Kruger is just
as distinctly indicated. The "very pith of the people," the Boers, must
be helped and heartened by the strengthening of the feeble knees, which
means money must be taken from those who did not suffer in their flocks
and herds, viz., the miners, and distributed amongst those that
sustained almost "irreparable loss through rinderpest."
MR CHAMBERLAIN'S LOST OPPORTUNITY.
Mr Chamberlain has led us to believe that he has a policy which will
set these matters right. He has great faith in Sir Alfred Milner and
Mr Greene; he has also faith in himself. In brief, his policy consists
of conciliatoriness and firmness combined. If I have succeeded in this
letter to properly express my convictions and the grounds for them, it
will not surprise anyone if, with all my belief in Mr Chamberlain's
genius, I utterly decline to share this faith. Time was, and that not
many months back, when he might by other methods, not war, nor
necessarily leading to war, have broken down Kruger's obduracy, and made
him more sensible; but that time has passed. It is now too late. Time
was, and that not long ago, when the Johannesburgers might have imposed
terms on Kruger and, unassisted by outsiders, have rectified matters
themselves; but the opportunity was lost through Jameson's interference.
FORCE NO REMEDY.
The Press has frequently suggested other means of bringing Mr Kruger to
reason, the author of "Boers and Little Englanders" has stated what he
thinks ought to be done, the
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