The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-19


but numbering also Americans, Germans
French and AuStrians, streamed INTO lndl
region The Beers classed them all as tll-
iandors or foreigners. To-day johannes
burg. which is pra ctically an English cry,
Numbers over 100000 souls. Pretoria. the
capital OF tae state. can muster barely a.
olo. Today the Uitlan9er population OF
The South African republic IS al 4east t"Ice
as large as that of the Beers. Inc Ut
landers not only have a preponderanee IN
,,,,rnbers but they have the wealth, the in
teligence. and the energy mat thdAe'
numbers tell.
Restrictions of the Ballot.
Meanwhile the Beers had Weakened 70
their imminent peril of being swamped by
this invasion of aliens They had az o.e
time welcomed immigration. In 1884 Pres
ident Kruger. when in London, had even
published an invitation to EnShShIheH 70
settle in the country. At that time Hhy
settler could secure the electoral iIan7
elise after a residence of two years. NOW,
although the Beers welcomed the tde OF
money that flowed into the exhausted eN-
chcouer, they took steps to preserve theli
Independence by restricting the pilVieet
of the ballot The probationary term OF
qualification was raised hrst TO hNe years
and then TO fourteen. During That pro
bdtlOuary term the prospective 'lhif'~'' '''A''
10 forswear allegiance to any other state
Even at the expiration of that term his
admission depended upon the will of the
President and of the Nolksraad, or legss-
latfye assembly. Thus, he might remain
forever a man without country his
children, even If born in the republic, were
aliens. who could only gain the rights or
citizenship by the same uncertain pro
cesses of naturalization. Meanwhile TO
Increase the preponderance of the Boer
domination. the ballot was thrown open 70
native children as soon as they reached
the age of 16
Naturally the Uitlanders protested. They
pointed out that though they constituted
the majority of the state, owning half the
land, and at least nine-tenths of the prop
erty, and paying more than nine-tenths of
the taxes vet in all matters affecting their
lives their liberties and properties they
had practically no voice. In 1890 a conces-
sion was made TO them. second Nolks-
raad was created, for the members. of
which aliens might vote after taking oath
and residing for two years In the coun-
try. But as all the DEGREES of the second
Volksraad are subject to the approval OF
the first Nolksraad, this concession con-
ceded little or nothing.
Then the Crisis Came.
This discomfort reached a crisis in 1890
The leaders among the Ultlanders had
formed national union at johannesburg,
which threatened a fight for its rights
At this juncture came DIR. Jameson's raid
from British Bechuanaland, and his sub
sequent defeat, followed by the disarma-
ment of Johannes burg. The belief that
the British colonial office had cOnnived
at the expedition, and the certainty that
Cecil Rhodes had inspired it increased the
Boer distrust of their hereditary foes and
their unwillingness to make any further
concessions. For the moment, Jameson's
fiasco cast a damper upon the Uitlanders
1t injured the prestige of Great Britain
in the eyes of the world 1t raised the be-
lief of the Beers in the justice of their
cause and in the continuance of its tri-
umphs.
Great Britain has recovered from the
temporary setback of the Jameson raid.
Again she has turned an attentive ear to
the protests of her citizens in the Trans
vaal. Matters were precipltated by the
shooting of one of these citizens, a miner
named Edgar, while resisting the unlawful
entry into his home of a Boer policeman.
who, without warrant sought his arrest
ON the charge Of assault. 1t was shown
that the assault had been committed in
self-defense upon an abusive drunkard.
Nevertheless, the policeman was not only
acquitted, but praised by the presiding
judge
1t was this incident that led up to the
present agitation. The flame was famed
when Uitlander meetings of protest were
broken up by organized bands led by gov
eminent officials A body known as the
Uitander Council was formed, with rep
resentatiVes from the mines and the towns.
For the first time in ats history Uitlander
johannesburg stood firm and united. APP
peals were made to Sir Alfred Miner, who
in 1897 was appointed Governor of Cape
Colony and High Commissioner for South
Africa. In reviewing the situation he de-
clared that the case for Intervention was
overwhelming" Sin Joseph Chamberlain
and the English government sustained his
view.
The result was a meeting between Sir
Alfred Miner and President Kruger on
May 3d. 1899, al a conference at Bloem-
fontein, the capital of the Orang Free
State. The conference left matters in
statu quo. President Kruger had been en-
powered by the VOlksraad to propose con-
ferling the franchise upon aliens five years
after eligibility to the second Rad, thus
substituting nine years residence in the
territory for the fourteen at present ex-
acted. He proposed that other questions
in dispute should be submitted to arbitra-
ton. Sir Alfreds reply, in substance, was
that on an vital matter there could be no
arbitra ton between a suzeTain state and
its dependency Kruger refused to con-
slider any terms which did not recognize
the Independence of the Transvaal.