The record-union., 1896-01-23
called to ascertain the sentiments of

scattered in the State; they repudiated
the action, reasserted the freedom Of
Transvaal as dating from 1S48, and
prepared to resist the British effort to
maintain gaTTisons within their boun-
daries. There can be no doubt that
the whole line of policy on the part of
the Beers, their desultory wars with
the native tribes their refusal to unite
with the other colonies against the
savages, had endangered the property
of the British colonies and their people,
and rendered the maintenance Of the
Governments very difficult and costly
The crisis came in 1880, when the
Boer and British troops met at Laing's
Neck on the Natal frontier and the Eng
Hsh were defeated, whereupon the Beers
reasserted their independence. In that
famous battle, where nearly every Eng
lish officer bit the dust, the Beers re-
fused to take prisoners. but after the
battle went among the enemy binding
up the wounds of the injured and sue
coring those needing assistance. Eng
land was greatly exasperated at the de-
feat and sent fresh troops, and many
battles followed with victory on the
side Of the Beers. Peace was finally
negotiated under Mr. Gladstone.
1t is doubtful if the English people
have ever wholly forgiven Mr.. Glad
stone for his courageous declaration
that he was convinced England had an
nexed Transvaal against the wishes of
its people. AS to the true meaning Of
the treaty of peace, there is much dis
pute and it is really the cause of the
present war cloud. England claims
that it confesses the question of suz-
erainty in her interest, while the Trans
yaal Government as emphatically in
sists that nothing in the document is
capable of such construction; that what
was granted was this, that all foreign
intercourse by the State should be
through British agency, that England
might keep a resident in the country to
look after British interests and that
within six months after negotiations
she might veto any Boer treaty with
other powers. It is upon this issue that
the whole of the present difficulty
hinges.
Soon after the treaty was signed gold
was discovered in Transvaal, and there
focked in large foreign population,
mainly English. American and Ger
man, with some French and Portu-
guese. According to the international
Trade Magazine this has developed
the fact that the independence of Trans
vaal was a commercial misfortune, and
that from a business point of view no
greater calamity could have happened
than the independence of the Beers.
On the incoming of the foreigners, or
Uitlanders, the Beers set about at once
to enforce their exclusive policy. They
passed laws forbidding mining on
ground they had sold to the aliens.
They placed onerous taxes upon the
mines. the miners and all mining tools
and implements, even to pick handles
and tin pans. They placed obstacles in
the way of improvement, building and
the opening up of the country as a min
ing and business region. They refused
representation to the foreign element
in the tax levying boards and the courts
of equalization. They require a four
teen years residence to precede appli-
cation for citizenship. They refuse the
foreigners the right to place their
children in schools at partial expense
of the taxpayers, where they can be
taught the language of their parents.
When an alien is naturalized he is re-
quired to wait two years before he can
vote for members of the lower house of
Legislature and twelve years before he
can vote for a member of the Senate or
upper house. He is sure to be old and
gray before he can hold Office or ad-
minister the laws.
But the mines proved enormously
rich. johannesburg has grown to be a
large city with most modern improve
ments. Energetic people have come in
and invested, progress and modern
ideas rule, and the foreign element and
property-owners have come to repre-
sent seven-tenths Of the population and
pay six-tenths Of all taxes for the sup
port of the Government, aside from
nine-tenths of city taxation, and own
more than six-tenths of all the
wealth III the State.
The foreigners have introduced cleo
tricity, street railways, modern hotels,
theaters, churches of many denomina-
tions, modern systems of architecture,
street paving, drainage and sanitation,
and have generally made their city a
modern one of the first order. All these
things the Beers resist as of the devil
and sin, and they frankly say they
would be gratified if these aliens would
pack up bag and baggage and get out
of the country.
The aliens and non-Boers, however
many of whom are now citizens, say
that they have made their homes there;
that they pay the taxes, and have now
as much right in the land as have pio-
neer settlers. That they have protested
in vain against oppression, and lately
organized simply to effect a peaceful
revolution of the Boer system.
The Beers reply that the land is
theirs by conquest and occupation; thai
the laws of their fathers are good and
should not be disturbed; that all rea
grievances they are willing to redress
that the alien can live with them in