The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-27
NETHERLAND PIONEERS.

convenient refuge for Dutch malcontents
from othoI acquisitions OF the great cos
mopolitan empire.
The settlers Of the small Dutch posses
sions on the Indian mainland were less
lucky. and their protests against annex
alton were disregarded as completely as
their country's claim TO tho possession OF
the continent which for number OF years
was known as New Holland. But the
Notherand pioneers in Australian explor-
at N had luckily not yet invested mucn
tul in actual settlements, and much
harder case was that OF the South African
colonists tho valiant Beers. who for nearly
2O0 years had been fighting the battle OF
civilization agaisthuilirs and rock DaDoons
aud Just succeeded in turning chaos into
something like cosmos when the great
land deyourers sont "a squadron 20 Cape
Town and invited the Netherland sthd-
holder to step down ard out The protext
was tho usual ono-idcntty of french
and Dutch interests-and IL was IN vain
that the colonists pleaded their neutrality
and quoted statistics To prove that Tor
the last 30 years their home rule privl-
leges had amounted to practical incepon-
dence. Should they forfeit the reward OF
tleir 200 years toll because their country
men in a little bog land of tho North
Atlantic had beon attacked and over
powered by thoir French neighborsg In
the ease OF n mosquito hades like Sierra
might have been recognized, but tne re-
sources of the sunny Capelanu, with Its
sanitarium stations and fine hunting
grounds, were too considerable 90 De
balanced against scruple OF political
ethics. Capo Town was compelled 10 sur
render. British soldiers were quartered
in all the noighDoring villages, ana the
Independence loving Holanders retired
beyond the main range OF the Sturm-
burg mountains in the hope OF getting
the usurrer to content themselves with
the possession Of the fertile coast lands.
Inc kaillrs mad risen in revolt In
vague notion that the whites were quar-
reling among themselves, and for few
years the Beers were permitted 20 stand
the brunt of the frontier fights. But WIN
the reostablishmont of peace calno north
ward migration Of British land seekers
The Beers were informed that they were
occupying the territories of the English
government only on suiferance, and that
tho future tenure Of their farms would
depcnd on the payment of taxes. Their
grazing grounds on the kai river were
also too far south TO be admitted To the
privileges or % no.man's land. They were
moreover denied the right TO conclude
treaties with native chioftains without
the sanction Of the colonial government
aud rather than face the prospect OF being
worried with consta mt squabbles, they re-
moved their homes 200 miles further north
10 the wilderness OF the Orange river
valley.
For agricultural purposes their new
colony was only of limited value; the
rivers run In deep gorges liko those of
Eastern Arizona and irrigation Is too
diflicult for the resources of scattered
farmers, but as hunting ground the
country had not its equal In the latter
day world, and tho sport loving immi-
grants contrived 10 support their families
on the spoils of tho chase and the produce
of small truck gardens along the banks
of tho main rivers The territory was so
indisputably outside the limits OF Cape
land that the settlers connived at the
arrival of British squatters, and were even
imprudent enough 60 invite immigration
by printed circulars setting forth the
advantages of the 'Orange River Free
State - They ascertaned the Significance
of their mistake in lSis when Cape Town
commissioner acting upon the invitation
of the foreign settlers, proclaimed the an
nexation of the Free state 60 the British
Crown. This time the Beers resolved To
test the right Of the usurpers and
addressed memoranda OF protest To all the
principal courts of Europe; but they were
doomed TO experience the fallacy of what
Herbert Spencer calls tho childish idea
that the general recognition OF doctrine
depends upon the establishment Of It's
truth" They had to move once more,
and in their new homes, on the tablelands
of the Iransvaal can naturally not be OK
pected to admit British visitors accom-
panied by less than a hundred Maxim
guns Il. l.. OSWALD.