1 Matjesfontein
2 March 21st 1908
3
4 My dear Laddie
5
6 I wonder how things are going with you. I had a long letter from Naude
7this week, but he only said as to the election "it would be a wise man
8who could prophesize the result." I think your case may turn out
9something like Cron’s. He has a great majority of the individuals in
10the district for him say – roughly – he has 1000 – Le Roux 700,
11& Jackson 600, now if there were only one vote to each election Cron
12would head by 300 votes.
13
14 But he has refused to have any thing to do with the other Bond
15Candidate Le Roux, to meet him on any platform or to attend any
16meeting at which Le Roux is on the platform. At Beaufort West at the
17public meeting, (of course the S A News cut out all this & put in some
18silly nonsense about the flag which was just the opposite of what he
19said, He said "I am not here to dis-cuss the question of the flag,
20under the whatever flag it is the great question is that we become a
21free & strong & advanced nation") – well, at Beaufort at the public
22meeting he refused was asked why Le Roux the other Bond candidate was
23not on the platform, & he said "Because I refuse to have him here."
24The secretary of the Bond then asked, "Why do you refuse?" Cron said,
25"That is my business!" (loud applause.) Cron will not work with either
26Jackson or Le Roux, so he is single handed, & the only danger is that
27if those two combine Le Roux gives all his votes to Jackson & Jackson
28all his to Le Roux, he Cron falls out, they will have over 1300 votes
29& Cron 1000 ?say!
30
31 I believe things stand like this; - Sauer is backing Jackson ^& Le Roux
32is ?against ?Cron^ he, Sauer, is the only man who wishes to see Cron
33out; the Moltenos as far as they take any part would like to see
34Jackson in, but are not against Cron: Hofmeyr wants the two Bond
35Candidates Le Roux & Cron, & keeps wireing to Cron begging him to make
36friends with Le Roux, which Cron will not do. Malan of-course wishes
37Cron in & has done quietly what he can. If Cron gets in it ?mainly
38owing to Malan. (This of course is most strictly private. It Poor old
39Sauer objects to Cron because he supports Malan, & because his name is
40Schreiner.
41
42 All these little party politics are awfully pitiful & small beyond
43words. Old Peter Weelar playing up first to one side & then to the
44other & then to all three together is a study for Gods & Men.
45
46 Monday the 22nd 1908
47
48 I look out for news of you in the papers but I have as yet seen none.
49If you see Miss Hyett remember me to her also Naude. It would be so
50fine if if you could come here for a day on your way back.
51
52 We could hire the old mule cart & drive into the mountains & show you
53some of the lovely places there: horses can’t do the road. I am
54mending most wonderfully here.
55
56 Ol
57I send old Naude’s letter
58
59