Show THE TIlE BOER OER SITUATION TION Friends of the struggling South African burghers burgher's burghers burgher burgh burgh- er ers er's ers and of peace would be a a. good deal more sanguine sanguine sanguine san san- guine of a settlement than they are if it could be shown that Kruger Leyds and W who nominally are the Boer representatives ives in Europe Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope had plenipotentiary power to effect an accommodation accommodation with Great Britain Possibly they have such a authority and nd in that case there would be he ground for hope that the earnest and kindly offices of Queen Wilhelmina and her Government might bring peace with honor to the stricken peoples of the late Transvaal republic and the Orange Free Flee State It is to be regretted that as yet it may be doubted if the burghers in arms would pay much attention to th the delegates in Europe unless what the latter propos proposed d happened to be on all fours with their own views and intentions When Mr Kruger left his country he transferred what was left of its executive ve authority to General Schalk-Burger Schalk and and it is presumable that that individual r who has carried carried car car- cari i ried ned the capital of the South African Republic i around in his saddle-bags saddle ever since would have something to say in the premises as would also i Generals Botha and De Dc W Wet t and Mr Steyn late I president of the Orange Free State The British government is wise in insisting upon some assurance that these fighting leaders would abide by the terms which Kruger and his associates associates associates as as- might m make ke Should it that Oom OomPaul OomPaul OomPaul Paul and Leyds are authorized to treat and determine determine determine deter deter- mine it is quite likely that the pressure which Holland Holland Hol fbi land would bring to bear upon them would lead to toa a settlement As matters stand they can deal with Great Britain on any basis save that of political inep independence in in- dep dependence ep I with excellent prospects of success In any event ent th the young and warm-hearted warm Dutch Queen is entitled to the greatest praise for her heV efforts efforts efforts ef ef- ef- ef forts to stop the bloodshed and other horrors of the war in South Africa |