The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
HARD TIMES IN THE RAND.
White Men Vow Eager to Work for the Wages
Formerly Paid to knnirs.

CAPT Town, Sept. 5.-The Acting Deputy
Administrator has published a statement warn
ing people from going into Rhodesia before the
railway is opened in November. This is one
OF the most momentous warnings given by a
high official in many years. Large numbers OF
people have looked toward Rhodesia MS the
place where they could make their homes.
Thousands have gone up only to find that it is
q land OF tragedy. Work has been scarce and
the cost OF living enormous.
The warning. however. is not an admission
o. failure on the part OF the officials of the Char
tered Company. The excessive cost of trans
port has simply prevented any work being car.
ricd out. With the opening OF the railway all
this will be changed. and then Rhodcsia will be
the land for the pioneer. The opening OF tho
railway will be an object lesson to he whites
and blacks of South Africa. What would Spoke
and Grant and Mungo Park think il they could
know that in tho early days Of November The
putting billy" will run through a savage land
Coming a little lower down the country TO the
is still a very gloomy one. Only one piece OF in.
formation gives "A little hope: There Is a record
gold output for August. During the month
259.6oa ounces OF gold have been mined in
johannesburg alone. making the total output
Tor the eight months Of this year. l%,saO.5l2
ounces. And yet during The whole Of tins year
the situation has been going from bad 10 worse,
until Johannesburg is now one OF the worst
five in. Despite its marvellous climate and lis
enormous yield of gold, there are probably more
starving people IN johannesburg than in any
other city of its size in the world. The average
uroiit on this enormous yield Of colo is said TO
be 8 per cent. only. owing TO the appalling bur
dcns placed upon the industry by tho Govern.
ment of the Transvaal. So gigantic are the i'm
positions that many of the largest mines have
been closed Gown as "nOn-payablc. The con
sequence Is that large numbers have been
thrown out Of employment. There is a minia-
tnre reign OF terror on the Rand to-day. Every
mans hand seems to be against his neighbours.
Burglnrics, assaults. daring robhcrics, audacious
swindlcs are the rule rather than the
exception. Educated white men arc taking the
work which n year ago was not considered good
enough for decent kaffirs at wages running
between IS. I'D. and IL. IA day. The Government
has been compelled by the force Of circumstances
TO start relief works. and n large number of
white men have been compclled by tho power OF
hunger to accept tho pittances offered.
An industrial commission has been sitting
for a long time, and it has drawn up u series OF
reforms which 1t declares to be- absolutely nee.
essary II the Rand is to be saved from desola-
ton. These include n heavy reduction OF tho
duties on dynamite, the lowering of railway
rates, and the restriction of monopolies.
Whether the Government will face the situation
and try to secure its own salvation as well as
tho salvation of tho country, Is one OF the many
mysteries which time alone can solve.
Reports arc out regarding the trade between
America and South Africa in the year ending In
June. 1897. During the year the exports from
New York to South Africa amounted to 32..
100000 which is nearly double the amount
registered for the previous year.