第75部分(第5/7 頁)

frank　and　earnest；　nor　does　he　mince　his　words　and　opinions。

29　Written　in　1912。　—　Ed。

First　he　waved　his　hand　towards　the　gentlemen　in　the　ante…room　and；　pointing　to　the　door；　beyond　which　the　crowds　through　which　we　had　passed　were　gathered；　said　that　there　I　beheld　the　aftermath　of　a　presidential　election　in　a　democratic　country。　Then　he　asked　me　my　views　upon　the　South　African　situation；　adding　that　he　was　himself　of　Dutch　descent。

I　gave　them；　and　he　expressed　his　hope　that　the　Boers　in　South　Africa；　with　whom　he　had　great　sympathy；　would　settle　down；　learn　English；　and　bee　a　dominant　factor　in　that　country　under　the　British　flag　and　rule。　He　added　that　he　had　expressed　these　views　strongly　to　those　of　their　leaders　who　had　visited　him　in　America；　which　shows　that　he；　at　least；　was　not　working　against　us　in　the　South　African　War。

Our　talk　next　turned　upon　matters　connected　with　the　land　and　with　the　absolute　necessity　of　keeping　the　population　on　the　soil　and　not　allowing　it　to　flock　into　the　cities。　I　found　that　his　views　and　mine　upon　this　point　were　identical；　as　he　recognised　the　inevitable　deterioration　of　the　race　which　must　ensue　if　the　land…dwellers　were　to　bee　city…dwellers。　He　spoke　also　on　the　subject　of　the　limitation　of　families；　and　instanced　the　case　of　the　French　Canadians　who；　in　some　districts；　were　crowding　out　the　British…born　folk　in　the　Dominion。　These　Frenchmen；　he　informed　me；　settle　upon　the　land　and　have　large　families；　whereas　the　English　Canadians　draw　to　the　cities。　Also　he　instanced　the　case　of　Australasia。　He　impressed　me　as　a　thoroughly　sound　and　reliable　man　—　one　whose　heart　was　in　the　right　place；　and　who　would　do　the　best　he　could　for　his　nation　during　the　time　it　was　in　his　care；　and　for　humanity　at　l