LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
PRO-BOER PROSCRIPTION.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") "M. F. G." is correct in saying that his statements have been already made in the House by the Member for Mansfield and not disputed, then this must have been due to any cause but their indisputableness. "W." points out that "M. F. G." is "inaccurate in one at least of his bracketed comments." I think he is inaccurate in at least three others. (1) He brackets off Mr. Wyberg as "Consolidated Goldfielda." Is it not well known that this gentleman resigned his post— that of consulting engineer to the company at a salary of 21,500 a year—early in 1899 with the express object of gaining full political freedom ? If so, could anything be unfairer than to describe and proscribe him as "M. F. G." does ? (2) What "important posts in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony" have been given to General Brabant and (3) Mr. 0. P. Crewe? I thought these gentlemen were officers in forces of Colonial irregulars and were engaged just now in defending their own Colony against Boer invaders. Does "M. F. G." mean that the Boers "consider, with some reason," that political opponents should not be allowed to oppose them in the field? I suspect any one fully informed could point out other inaccuracies. If not inaccuracies, is it not at least rather absurd to dismiss eminent lawyers like Mr. Van Hulsteyn (a Hollander, by the way) and Mr. Solomon as " Eckstein's attorney," "Farrar's attorney " ? As well describe Eckstein or Farrar as "Van Hulsteyn's client," "Solomon's client." Of course the big firms, at Johannes- burg as elsewhere, go to the most successful lawyers. That does not make the lawyers their political creatures. Probably at Wolverhampton any leading commercial magnate goes for law to Sir Henry Fowler or his firm. Would "M. F. U." think "So-and-so's attorney" a sufficient public disposal of Sir Henry Fowler? The whole suggested test is simply silly. Directly or indirectly, the whole Outlander community is bound up with the great mining industry, and if you proscribe everybody who has anything to do with a company as director or as expert in any of the professions, the entire working class being also written off as "tools of capitalists," pray who is left,—especially if you also proscribe, as "M. F. G." would, every one who has been a member of a political asso- ciation? He would simply scoop away the whole heart and brain of the industrial community. Such is the Pro-Boer There is no earthly reason to suppose that such is the Boer. By the way, your readers may be reminded that these appointments, quoted by "M. F. U." as Six A. Milner's, and as the chief illustration "so far" of the Colonial Office policy, are, in fact, not Sir A. Milner's at all, being simply the temporary improvisations of the military upon occupying Pretoria and Johannesburg. As such, if not all perfect for permanencies, they seem to be a very fair lot.—I am, Sir, &c.,
G.
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