The Irish standard., 1894-05-26
THE BOER COUNTRY.
Remarkable Growth OF the South
African Republic
settlement OF tho Transvaal and Its Mar
ve1ous Industrial, Progross-Com.
position Of tho Cow
ernmAnt.

The territory comprising the Trans
vaa1 or South African republic covers
an area larger than that OF France. It
is peopled by the Beers, who fed from
the tyrannica1 form of government
which ting English sought to impose up
on them further south. The Beers are
the descendants of the sturdy Neither
landers. who constituted Holland re-
public and a formidable power in the
sixteenth century, and of the Hugue-
nots, who were driven from France by
the revocation of the edict of Nantes
in 1855 by Louis XIV. Thus in the
Beers of South Africa there is COM
bination OF the characteristics of two
people who are conspicuous in Euro
pean history for the struggles they
waged for political and religious lib
erty. Since the days when the first
band of hardy immigrant Beers crossed
the Vaal river, where England's tyran-
ny stopped at following them, and
planted their cabins on the broad and
sunny slopes of the Transvaal, the
country has gone through the changes
and throes which mark the life of in
dividual and nation alike. Within
the past five years marvellous devel-
opment 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
Hope, distance of min. hundred and
forty-6ve 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-
lative 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 elec-
ton throughout the state, the state
secretary elected by the volksraad for
four years. and four unofficial members
chosen for three years by the volks-
raad. The chief officer in each d istrict
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 a baljuw or
sheriff, gaoler and staff of constables.
With the exception of a corps of
mounted artillery and police, COM
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 placed |
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. ALI inhabit- |
ants Of the state between sixteen and !
sixty years of age, not exempt accord
ing to law, are liable to service on |
President Kruger is now
occupying his office for the tl1i-d term |
He is q patriot, a man whose heroic |
life posterity will honor. Among the
Beers he is known exclusively as "Oom |
Paul, Uncle Paul Though a man
Of rugged exterior, untutored even as
regards the most elementary branches
IF education, he has shown practical
for government that has been
, match for the most finished diplo-
macy and statecraft. For the conser-
7ation of the interests of the mining
lass, almost entirely English, he in
1uenced the volksraad to establish
second chamber, to which they could
send their representatives. This cham
Der legislates in the interest of tho
English class and for the local inter-
,sts of the country, the volksraad
lolding the right of veto over its pro-
,eedings.
PERFUME MEASURED BY CENTS
The Wanted Visitors to Smell tho Dollar
and-a-Half Roses.
Gall flesh is not the same flesh" and