The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-21
TRANSVAAL QUESTION :
A RACE MATTER


Joseph s. Dunn a resident of Johannes
burg. has an article on the Transvaal in
the Independent which deserves the very
careful consideration of American readers.
The historical sketch with which 1t begins
says of the Beers that they are ''as race
with, of course, individual exceptions-an
extraordinary instance of arrested eiviliza-
ton, the date of stoppage being somewhere
about the conclusion of the seventeenth
century,
Since then There has even been degen-
Grafton from the standards of mediavalism,
and now the new population in the Trans
yaal progressive enlightened, full of en-
terprise, energy and work. and constitut-
ing large majority of the total number of
white inhabitants, is held in check by the
conservative, ignorant, stagnant' minor
ity, which has "hopelessly failed to master
or comprehend the changed conditions.
1.-THE Boer has simply set his back against
the fioodgates, apparently oblivious to the
fact that the hugely accumula ting forces
behind must one day burst every barrier he
may choose to set up. That is the whole
Transvaal situation in a sentence"
The writer then goes on to say that this
situation is of vital Importance all South
Africa.
But for the obstructiveness and obscur-
antism of the Transvaal Beers the rate of
progress and development which would
characterize the whole South African con-
tinent would be unparalleled in the history
Of any other country. The reactonary
policy of the Transvaal Is the spoke
in the wheel. It must therefore be removed
in the name of humanity and civilization.
nd ituip hal MI n
do it,
In the opinion of Mr.. Dunn a geenral re-
form has become necessary which can
never be hoped for from Boer notifications
of the franchise law. The need is too great
to be met in this way, and it is set forth
i'll an exposition of Uitlander grievances
from which the following excerpts are
taken:
franchise and MISUNDERSTANDING
to the franchise law existing up to within a
week OF two ago (when a new law was
promulgated) no Uitlander could ever Sc
cure the franchise in the Transyaal except
with the permission of two-thirds of the
burghers in his ward and the express sane
ton of the executive council. These re-
strictions not only applied to the present
generation of Ultlanders but to the descend
ants for all time Since the imperial gov
eminent has eyinced an intention to give
the Transvaal situation its close and direct
attention, the Transvaal government and
raad have withdrawn the old franchise law
and substituted one ostensibly comforting
the franchise on Uitlanders who have been
resident seven years in the state This new
law, however, has been purposely rendered
SO involved, obscure and complicated, so full
of reservations, conditions and restrictions,
that in actual practice not per cent of the
British uitlander population would secure
a vote. Moreover the Beers decline to af-
ford a fair proportion of representation in
the volksraad to the Uitlanders.
"Education-A fair and practical system
of state education is asked for. Under ex-
listing arrangements the educational
quirements of the Uitlander community are
almost wholly neglected. Huge sums are
annually spent on the education depart
ment, but the benefit accruing to the Uit-
lander is practically nil. Seeing that near
ly all the money spent comes from the
pockets of the Ultlanders, these consider
that they should derive at least some ap-
preciabe advantage from the outlay, which
at present is most extravagant and to a
large extent useless.
"Religious Notwithstanding to the
olics debarred from holding any poti-
cal office. 1t is urged that this medievai
restriction should be removed.
'Taxation-The existing system of taxa
ton in the Transvaal Is one of the most
grievous and ubiquitous ever instituted In
any country. Its incidence is arranged
that almost the entire revenue is eXtorted
from the Uitlandsrs in one direction or an
other. Not only so, but owing to the APP
palling extravaganza, incompetency and
dicho nf n
of taxation demanded from the Uitlander
averages something like e25 per head per
annllm of the Ubtlander population. An
enormous part of this revenue disappears
annually without being properly accounted
for Where it goes may be easily imagin-
ed by any one having even a slight ac-
quaintance with the abominable corruption
and dishonesty rampant among the state
officials and persons in exalted places
"Monopolies-This country Is cursed with
the existence of numerous CONCESSIONS or
monopofies. The worst of these is the dyn-
amite monopoly, whereby the importa lion
of dynamite in the mining industry is pro-
hibited The monopolists daarge 10 shiliings
a ca Sc for dynamite which could be imported
for 45 sifillings. This signifies that the min
ing industry is annually mulcted in an enor-
nous sum chiefly to benefit the holders Of
this monopoly. Dynamite is not really
manu- featured at the factory. 1t Is imported
in bulk by the monopollsts and simply
made up in this state. President Kruger
is a most strenuous uIaolder of this mo-
nopoly, which he has repeatedly described
the corner stone of the country's inde-
pendence. His attitude toward this mo-
nopoly Is wholly inexpMcable, except on
ono hypothesis. The Uitlanders ask that
this monopoly especially Shall be Cancelled,
seeing that the monopolists have not car
rled out the terms of the original grant
"Language-At present only the Dutch
language is officially recognized even in
centers of English population. 1t is i'm
possible to describe how iraoerably irk-
some and hampering is the on-recognition
of the English language. The reformers
contend that English should be recognized
in this state in the same manner as Dutch
Is in the Cape Colony.
High court-By law No. 1 of 1897 the
judges of the high court are deprived of
the right to test the validity of any law
Ai....+ L. 1,stit iaaa