At Standerton, the other day, the President was questioned as to the
prospects of assistance being given to poor burghers. His entire reply
is worth quoting, but I have only room for a small portion of it. Said
he: "The burghers' distress has been caused by the war (Jameson's raid),
and the subsequent unrest has not tended to improve matters. The
burghers have suffered from these circumstances. The country has been
compelled to spend a lot of money on the building of forts, nearly
2,000,000 pounds, by which our means have been exhausted. In the
Zoutpansberg district especially, the condition of things I know to be
most distressing. White families as well as black are dying rapidly.
Still I expect you to turn to the Bible in a time of adversity like
this. Follow the prophet Isaiah's advice, and look to the Lord God who
has so far befriended you. Why will men not follow in the path of the
Lord instead of losing money at races and by gambling?" etc., etc.