The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-14

class burghers-the naturalized male
population-may by special resolution
Of the upper house of the republic
legislature, become first class burghers
twelve years after naturalization. Sons
of aliens, though born in the republic
have no political rights. BY registra-
ton at the age Of sixteen, however
they can become second class burghers
at eighteen, and ten years later, by
special resolution of the upper cham
Der, they can be made first class bur-
ghers; and at the age of forty are elig-
IDLE to the upper chamber Of the leg
islature. Naturalization of foreigners,
| however, may not take place until af-
ter two years residence. The other
conditions are the oath of allegiance
and the payment of two pounds stir
ing.
The parliament of the republic con-
sists of two chambers, each of twenty
four members. chosen by the legisla-
1 tive districts, of which there are nine
teen. Members to the upper chamber
of the parliament are elected by first
class burghers alone; while the lower
| chamber is elected conformity by the
first and second class burghers An
| other political distinction between first
and second class burghers is in the
election of the executive of the repub-
lie. The executive department of the
government is vested in a president,
elected for five years. and a council
consisting of three official members
secretary Of state. commandant-
| general and the minute-keeper-an
| two non-off1cial members.
OF these executive officers the first
class burgers elect the President and
committeeman, the other Of
tlcial members of the executive coun-
Gil are elected by the first and second
class burghers together, and the two
unofficial members of the executive
council are elected by the upper
chamber of the parliament
1t will be seen by a careful ex
animation of these several provisions
OF the South African Republic that the
alien population that inhabit the Tran
vaal are barred from any very active
participation in the affairs of govern
ment; that their influence is very re-
mote. Nor can they hope soon that it
Will be otherwise. Two years must
elapse before they can become even
partial citizens, that is. second class
burghers; twelve years before they can
be admitted to full citizenship that
is, before they can become burghers
of the first class, and then only by the
vote of the upper chamber of the par
lament
These defects of the TransvaaI con-
stitution are what lie at the bottom of
the present internal troubles of the
South African Republic. Since the late
extensive discovery of gold in the
Transvaal country, the foreign popula-
ton has been enormously increased
until now it is greatly in excess of the
Boer population. According to the
statement of Cecil Rhodes, late prime
minister of Cape Colony, published in
our dispatches yesterday there are
10000 new Corners and only 1900 of
the old population. Mr.. Rhodes must
refer in these figures to the voting
population of the old settlers, and
doubtless also to the men who ought
to be voters of the new population.
The facts are that the constitutional
provisions Of the TransvaaI Republic
are such that it cannot absorb the
great foreign population that has
rushed into it of late years; that
foreign population comes from nations
principally England and the United
States-Where the people who bear the
burden Of government have a voice
in the making and execution of the
laws, and they have been somewhat i'm
patient at the delay of those constitu-
tional reforms promised by the Boer
but not yet granted;
and they sought to hasten them by
an uprising and the assistance of the
English invaders under Jameson.
In a small way the situation in the
Transvaal illustrates the danger that
exists where a government does not (
or cannot absorb into its citizenship |
the foreign elements that flow into it. /
other results may grow out |
Of this Transvaal embodiment, of |
this we feel certain, that there must be |
such reforms in the South African Re
public constitution as will admit the |
present large foreign population to |
in the affairs of the gov
arnment A republican government, |
resting as it does and must on the
of the people. cannot con-
-inue under a constitution which
withholds from the greater part of the
population political Acknowledgement.