New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-29
THE TR1NSTAAL TROUBLES.

Day by day the outlook in South Africa grows
n ore threatening. The British government
while conducting an elaborate investigation iii'o
the relationship between the Chartered COM
pany and the Transvaal, shows no sign OF re-
linuushing one iOta of its rights. or ciaills' as
YOU will. over the latter. Nor does Inc boer ne
public-or its President, who above all men OF
his time can say Il am the State'-show IN!
sign Of conciliation or of a disposition TO re-
,,ova those inst causes of offence which not
,nlv England but nearly all other civilized ma
films have against il. On the contrary. Mr..
Kriiger has assumed an attitude OF dehahce'
and instead of granting reforms in the direction
of liberal institutions and true repupncan'sh''
is almost daily adding to the burdens and grey
ances of his foregnborn subjects.
This is not pleasant 10 say OF so-caiieu re-
rublic but il is unhappily true. Inc lrahs
vaal is republic only in name. 1t IS IN ruin
n despotism oligarchical in form, monarchicai
in fact The foreign-born residents constitute
an overwhelming majority of the White popula
ton. and most of them earnestly ceslre 10 De-
coma nermanent residents and full citizens. Yet
they are denied practically all civil rights, eX-
conf those of having taxes and being drafted
into tho army. Such has always been the case
but this wear their condition is made more
orievous and Illustrating still by the imposition
Of system under which every foreigner Is
,raoted MS n convict on tlcket-of-lcave. The
most burdensolNe and obnoxious monopoheS III
trade are not merely permitted Dut are actuah!
created and maintained by the government
Freedom OF the press is denied, ana papers
yenturing to criticise the Government are sup
pressed as arbitrarily as ever they were III nus
s.a. Freedom of meeting and OF speech are als'
denied. 50 that If half dozen men stop TO-
getler for a moment in the street TO exchange
views on n topic Of the day. they are liapie 10
be hustled into Pretoria jail as felons. And
finally. the Supreme Court Of the Republic, the
last barrier between popular rights ana au'o.
cratic despotsm, is practically abolished. Paul
Krtiger is Executive Legislature and judiciary,
all in one.
That much Of this is in direct violation or the
States obligations and pledges to Great Britain
is not denied. The only answer MI. Kruger
makes 10 it is TO put in Durlesque Dill lor
damages from the Jameson raid, TO can the
Queen "a fractions woman" to increase his MIL
tary ornaments, to make close aihahce Win
tie little Orange Free State, and to renew MS
intrigues with Germany; to when Germany re-
suonds by sending 1000 soldiers to Damaraiand'
That is not q wise course for the lransVaal 10
nursue. nor does it commend the Transvaai
couse 10 those whose natural sympathes would
be with a gallant little republic struggling Tor
independence. The autocrat of Pretoria Is
doing his utmost to ALLEVIATE sympathy and TO
make his cause unworthy of success. 1t would
be deplorable to have war in South Africa IN
which the Transvaal would be crushed out or
independent existence. But it would also he
deplorable to have human rights made mock
ery in professed republic, and one of the falr-
est and richest lands on earth dragged through
reaction and brutal tyranny into hopeless bar
barsm.