The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29
THE ISSUE IN THE TRANsvAAh

THE ISSUE IN THE TRANSVAAL.
Ono Of the best articles that we have
| seen on the Transvaal situation Is from
| the Buenos Ayrcs Weekly Herald. II Is
headed The Tide of Progress and is
introduced with the remark that "events
now transDiriug in South Africa. China
and The Philippine Islands all tend TO
show that those people who attempt to
stem the tide Of advancing civilization are
sure 10 be overwhelmed in its flow"
That Is as true as preaching. THE phil
antbropists may deulore the fact" our
contemporary goes on, land discourse with
moving pathos on the rights Of the weak
AGAINST the encroachments of the strong
but such Is the strong law Of evolution
and there is no help FOR those who resist
the tendency Of the times"
The Herald then points out that the
| Boers of South Africa are among those
who set themselves against the current
Of civilization being not only unwilling
to keep abreast Of the times themselves.
| but determined that no other people shall
do SO IN their land.
In the same connection Joseph I. Dunn,
| q resident Of Johannesburg, publishes an
article IN a recent issue of the Independent
ON the situation in the Transvaal, IN
which he pursues the same line of thought
and impresses the same facts that the
Beers as a race furnish ian extraordinary
instance of arrested civilization the date
Of stoppage being somewhere about the
conclusion of the seventeenth century"
| He declares that the BOer has simply set
his back against the flood gates appar-
emily oblivious of the fact that the occu-
INFLATED force behind must one day burst
| every barrier which he may choose 20 set
up lie declares moreover, that but for
the "obstrucuyeness aud obscurantism'
of the Beers. the rate OF progress and de-
velopment which would characterize the
| whole South African continent would be
unparalleled in the history Of any other
country. HIS conclusion, therefore IS that
this policy must be removed in the name
Of humanity and civilization
Coming down 10 Specifications he refers
TO the franchise prescription under which
Uiuanders are not permitted TO take part
in The affairs Of government, although
made to pay a large proportion Of the
| taxes. lie says that under the educational
requirements the Uiuander communities
are almost entirely neglected That large
sums are annually spent on the educa-
tional department, but that the benefits ac-
cruing TO the Uitauder are practically nil
As for religious freedom, he points out
| that according 60 the present constitution
Jews and Roman Catholics are debarred
from holding any political Office.
He mentions also the dynamite monopoly
by which the miners are made TO pay
nearly twice as much as they would
otherwise have 10 pay for this product
the profits going largely to the govern
ment.
And finally he says that by law No. 1,
of 1891. the judges Of the high court are
deprived OF the right TO test the validity
Of any law in its relation to the constitu-
ton and they are also compelled 10 ac-
cept as law, without question or reserva-
ton Of any kind, any resolution passed at
any time and under any circumstances
by the Volksraad, the legislative body.
Argue against it as we may. This is
progressive age and no nation can stand
i'm the way OF progress IL seemed cruel
thing that the North American Indian
should be driven back farther and farther
into the wilderness by the advance OF civil
| Hzat0n. but can any man say that this
great country should have been permitted
TO be controlled and occupied by the red
savages who were here when Columbus
Of things have been otherwise. when
God told man 10 have dominion. he pro-
claimed the law of progress, the law OF the
survival Of the fittest.
Just of the Florida coast there is a fertile
island. one of natures garden spots. For
years It was ruled by Spain. and in spite
Of It's great fertility and its wondrous
productive capacity. It's progress was held
IN check and its very life blood sucked out
by the Spanish satraps who were put I'm
authority. Time and again the islanders
rebelled but were unable 70 drive out
their masters. This sort OF thing could
not last Americans stood by for years
and saw the devastation, but finally pro-
gress could tolerate the condition no
longer. Progress drove Spain out OF cuba.
The same will be repeated IN the Trans
vaal. in the Philippines. in some of the
South American Republicans, az the
Bucnos Ayres Herald prophesies and in all
fertile lands where the powers that be. put
themselves in the way Of progress and
modern civilization.