The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-01
HAMMOND SEEKS aid.
American Prisoner in Transvaal
Writes a Letter.
DIRECT APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE.

Hammond Declares That the Jameson
Raid Was Not Connected with the Work
OF the Reform Party and That His Ar.
rest Il Unjust--Asks That Copies Of the
Letter BE sent TO Generals Miles aud
schoheid at once.
PRETORIA. Feb. John HAYS Ham.
mond the American under arrest In tho
Transvaai for connection with the
jameson raid, writes as follows 20 u r.
Hearst Of the New York Journals
II was arrested with sixty-four others
charged with sedltion and high treason
The circumstances are as followsi The
history Of the Transvaal is that OF a small
uneniightened retrogressive community
The government is a narrow oligarchy.
with a bad, inefficient administration
Monstrous monopolies and corruption are
rampant. The new population including
many prominent Americans, comprises
more than twice the number of the gov.
erning class. They are the wealth-p pro,
ducers capable Of all industries. yet they
bear nIne.tenths Of the taxation! They
feel themselves alone, have no voice in
affairs, are excluded from franchise have
no municipal government, n participation
for their children in the public schools
They are oppressively taxed and badly
treated
Petitions Treated with scorn.
The independence Of the supreme court
Is constantly assaulted by the legislature
This condition of affairs has continued for
years All petitions for redress OF griev.
ances and remonstrances u the Boer leg.
islature were treated with scOrn. In De
eember the leading citizens OF Johannes
burg including all the prominent Ameri
cans, constituted a reform committee 10
obtain constitutions! redress and issued a
manifesto OF their demands having first
hoistci the TFansvlal flag and sworn 90
maintain the integrity of the republic.
While agitating The questions constltu-
tionally the jameson incident occurred
1t was quite dissasociated.f .fromIthe reform
movement Dee. 81 the government sent
commission 20 johannesburg asking the
reform committee TO send "A deputation TO
Pretoria The deputation was sent and
conferred with the government No an.
derstanding wns arrived at.
Government Breaks Promises.
'The battle Of Doornkop was fought.
Jameson's column surrendered, and 10.
down their arms, which was done ON un.
Outstanding from the government our
demands would b. favorably considered.
which we were making solely 20 prote
the lives of our women and children aks-
our property. Tie government guaran
tced protection u all these. The condi
tions OF the government were carried out
without any demonstration OF violence on
our part Nevertheless many prominent
Americans and others numbering sixty
were arrested and prosecuted for sedition
and treason inder penalties involving i'm
prisonment and coniiscation OF property
valued at millions sterling The deten.
tion OF all the prisoners Is unjustihabls
and the confscation Of property a mons
trous oppression
Asks Uncle sam for Aid.
ASK our government 90 urge on the
Transvaal government that the demands
Of the reform committee wero reasonable
and based on primary principles OF the re.
public. Protest against the treatment OF
all, and Of the Americans in particular
II the Transvaal government persists in
its present course our government can
only invoke the aid OF treat Britain. az
the paramount South African power.
to coerce the Transvaal which
then forfelts the moral suppors
Of sister republic This course the
Transvaal would tear First urge the
Of our claim. then warn
the Transvaal government OF the conse-
luences Of loss ,of support and of invok.
Ing the aid Of Eng'1u which is much
lisliked by. the iransvaal government.
Wire copies of,this 10. Generals Miles and
Sehoficld L Urass soure government TO act
eEalist~sympa,hy In our In.
sDr. Reply tosdnslA Cape Town.
JOHN HAYS HAMMOND"