Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1894-05-29
THE BOER COUNTRY.
), .,,arkabIe Growth of the South
African Republic.
..,.rr.ut of the Transvaal and Its Mar
velous Industrial Progress-Com-
position of the Gov
eminent.

The territory comprising the Trans
roal or South African republic covers
~ ~ area larger than that OF France. 1t
: naopled by the Beers, who fled from
- - tvrannical form of government
lhiob the English sought to impose up
-i lion, further south. The Beers are
~ descendants of the sturdy Neither
, sne Tors who constituted Holland re-
Dnb1ic and formidable power in the
ees~toayth century, and of the Hugue-
nots. who were driven from France by
4be revocation of the edict of Nantes
q 1885 by Louis XIV. Thus in the
poers of South Africa there is a COM
h;nation of the characteristics OF two
neople who are conspicuous in Euro
pean history for the struggles they
.va0ed for political and religious lib
artv. Since the days when the first
hand of hardy immigrant Beers crossed
the Yaal river, where England's tyran-
INV stopped at following them, and
nianted their cabins on the broad and
sunny slopes of the Transyaal, the
country has gone through the changes
j and throes which mark the life of in
dividual and nation alike. Within
the past five years marvellous devel7
onment of population, resources and
Industries has followed on the success
which gold mining has achieved. Rail-
way communication now connects
Johannesburg via the diamond mines
of Kimberly with the Cape of Good
Home. distance of min. hundred and
fortv-Aye miles. Other connections
are rapidly progressing from Natal
and Delagoa bay, centralizing at Pre-
toria, the capital and seat of govern
men in the Transvaal.
The constitution of the South African
republic, says Goldthwaite's Magazine,
is based on Roman Dutch. The legis-
Elative power is vested in the volksraad,
the members of which are elected by
their constituents for four years. The
executive consists of the president,
elected for five years by general cleo
ton throughout the state, the state
secretary elected by the vollsraad for
four years, and four unofficial members
chosen for three years by the yolks-
raad. The chief officer in each district
is the landdrost, who acts as magis-
trate and civil commissioner, with the
assistance of a clerk, who Is at the
same time public prosecutor and dis
tributor of stamps. Each district is
further provided with baljuw or
sheriff, gaoler and staff Of constables.
With the exception of corps of
mounted artillery and police, COM
manded by three officers with about
sixty men, the republic has no armed
force. The president, with the concur
renee of the executive, has the right to
declare war and call up commando,
in which the burghers are place
under the field comets and command
ants of each district The whole force
is commanded by the commandment
] general, who Is elected by the country
for the term of ten years. Allinhabit-
ants of the state between sixteen and,
sixty years of age, not exempt Accord
. ing to law, 0re liable to service on.
commando President Kruger is now
! occupying his Office for the thi-d term. I.
He is a patriot, man whose heroic
life posterity will honor. Among the
Doors ne Is known exclusively as .OOm
Paul, Uncle Paul. Though a man
of rugged exterior, untutored even as
regards the most elementary branches
of education, he has shown a practical
capacity for government that has been
! match for the most finished diplo-
macy and statecraft. For the conser-
walton OF the interests of the mining
class, almost entirely English, he in
fuenced the vollfsraad to establish a
second chamber, to which they could
send their representatives. This cham
Der legislates in the interest of the
English class and for the local inter
ests Of the country, the volksraad
holding the right of veto over its pro-
ceedings.