The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-08-27

the managers Hon DaFI4 GlEteE &c
ViIIiers GRAF. mayor Of Cape Town for
the third time. though but thirty-two
wears old. also astonished the Chicagoe5e.
1t does seem a surprise 70 hear that
law and order, science and progress pre-
vail over al immense area N Afrlca;
that there are long railroads, important
manufactures, great libraries and re-
nowned writers and scholars, as well as
fourishing cities with al the modern
improvements. Nowhere on earth L.
there a more curious mixture Of races.
On the same ostrich farm may be found
the English proprietor and family, the
Boer Dutch oyerseer, the Kafir labOrer
and the HottentOt domestic servant, and
in the parliament Of Cape Colony Eng
lish and Dutch are heard IN the debates,
while all the merchants, couriers and
other Intermediates know enough Of
both languages for general business.
Cape Colony covers about 200,G
square miles, two-thirds cf the people
are Of Dutch blood. the English come
next and many other races have their
representatives. Natal IS more purely
English. The Orange Free State and
the TransvaaI are two republics organ
lied by Dutch emigrants from Cape Col
ory. The great diamond mines and new
gold fields add their variety, and all
these regions viii be well represented at
Chicago. Mayor GRAF was born at VII
/ liersdorp IN Cape Colony in 1860, and
represents a family history Of unusual
/ interest.
The De Villiers, Of Rochelle, were OF
/ one Of the Oldest families in France, and
/ when the war against the Protestants
/ began the parents told their four sons TO
/ fly the country, in order that the family
might not be exterminated. Three com
/ piled, and the very next day all the rest
/ Of the family vera killed and the man
/ sion burned. The fugitives reached
Holland. From one Of them, Sir Henry
/ de Villiers, chief justice Of Cape Colony,
Is descended, and from another Mr..
/ GRAF. He was reared on MS fathers
farm and educated at the college of
/ Cape Town, and by the constitution
known as the Afrkander Bond became a
| citizen.
By this agreement, made in 1876, the
| Dutch and English are equal citizens,
and both languages are used in the leg.
islature. The white natives and resi-
dents Of South Africa are known as At.
rikanders, the word African conveying
to European ears a suggestion Of color
Olive Schreiner has recently given the
reading world some very realistic pic.
lures On the ostrich farms, and in the
Transyaal and Free State, and now Mr..
GRAF tells Us that the exports and i'm
ports at Cape Town exceed 800, 000, 00t
in value yearly.
After being twice elected mayor, Mr.
GRAF declined a reelection On the
ground that he wanted to make foreign
tour, nevertheless they elected him fol
the third time and gave him leave of ab
sence for six months. Under his adj
ministration great improvements have
been inaugurated. The water descend
ing from Table mountain is to be utilized
in lighting the city by electricity, and
the world renowned botanic gardens arr
to be greatly improved and made into &
free park. About 800, 900, 600 have beer
expended on the railroads so far. Sucl
is the county and such are the enorInou:
interests that Mayor GRAF represented a
Chicago, and this at an age when mel
generally think they have done well L
have made good start in business.