1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Schreiner, William Philip
SCHREINER, WILLIAM PHILIP (1837-1919), South African
lawyer and statesman, the youngest son of a German missionary,
was born in the district of Herschel, Cape Colony. He studied
law at Cape Town and at Cambridge and London universities.
He was called to the bar (Inner Temple) in 1882 and the same
year returned to the Cape where he was admitted an advocate
of the Supreme Court. He soon attained success and was for
many years leader of the Cape bar. In 1893 Schreiner, who had
been legal adviser to the High Commissioner since 1887, began
his political career as attorney-general in the second Ministry
of Cecil Rhodes. He resigned the same year, took the same
portfolio again in Sept. 1894 and remained in office until the
Jameson Raid brought about the downfall of the Rhodes
Ministry. In 1898, having helped to bring about the fall of the
Sprigg Ministry, Schreiner became Prime Minister of Cape
Colony and held that position when the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902
began. During the crisis which preceded the outbreak of
hostilities he allowed the passage of armaments to the Dutch
republics, and when the war broke out he wished to keep Cape
Colony neutral (see 5.244). Acute differences in the Cabinet
caused Schreiner to resign office in June 1900. Later he
advocated, unsuccessfully, the federation instead of the unification
of the South African colonies. In 1914 he accepted the office
of High Commissioner of the Union in London and held that
post until his death. He died at Llandrindod Wells on June
28 1919. Schreiner married, in 1884, Frances, sister of F. W.
Reitz, President of the Orange Free State. He was a brother
of Olive Schreiner, the novelist. Schreiner was a man of high
attainments, great industry and impressive speech. His
qualities showed at their best at the bar, and the proper crown
of his career would have been a seat on the bench. But as a
politician he suffered from a lack of suppleness which
disqualified him from becoming a popular leader. He had also
too much of the cross-bench mind. He was a sincere friend
of the natives, and, in 1908-9 successfully defended Dinizulu
against the charges of treason and murder brought against him.
He also went to London as a delegate of the Coloured Races
Political Association to oppose restrictions in the Act of Union.