The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-12
Whr Wlessengm.


England puts up a plea Of justifica-
ton for it's pnrposed war on the Beers
in the Transvaal that is plausible. Ig-
noring the early history of the Dutch
Beers and the fact that they twice
went out from their homes to seek lib
erty and independence, and twice
built up a government and developed
into a small power, there may be force,
and probably there is force, in the
claims of the British in its difficulties
now pending and that have heretofore
existed, with the Kruger government.
But there is one fact neither to De Tor
gotten nor showed aside-why were the
Beers twice followed by Victoria's SUBJ
iects and interference with them began
eliminating in serious troubles and
conflicts? Why were not the Beers in
the wilderness left alone to work u
their own political and governmental
salvation without let or hindrance?
The Washington Post of the 9Th inst,
sees the matter in the white light of
truth and justice, and in it's opening
paragraph states it most clearly. 1t
says:
''The fundamental question underly-
ing the threatened conflict etWeen
Great Britain and the T~ransVaal re-
public is whether the Beers have ever
surrendered the right, or any part OF
it, to control their domestic affairs and
to maintain their national
If the South African republic has re-
tanned it's prerogative as an independ-
.ent government, then the pretensions
of Great Britain are absu If this
~prerogative has been abandoned, or in
any way impaired, we have yet to see
outside of the frothy vociferation OF
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain-the proof Of
that abandonment"
In the N. Y. Forum for September
there is a long paper by an English
Liberal, MI. Thomas r.. Dodd. He is
the secretary of the South African
League, which is no friend to the Beers.
Mr.. Dodd writes with the plausibility
of an English advocate for the sacred
ness and justice of Britain's cause.
But he ignores important facts n is
something specious throughout. 1t is
in a word, a partisan statement. Great
Britain is made to appear to be in the
right as it's advocates are quite sure,
to make it appear in all controversies,
even in some in which England aban-
doned the advocates themselves. If
you will take all Mr.. Dodd writes as
correct, and read nothing else, you will
conclude that the action of John Bull
is resolute, proper and righteous every
way.
Mr.. Dodd goes into the failures,
cruelties, etc, of the Beers in dealing
with the natives and in the very defec-
tive government they established.
Grant all this, but England has no
more to do with all that thar it has
with McKinley's receptions and cruel
ties in Staying the Filipinos. Doubt
less Kruger has ~blundered and done
wrong often. He may not have been
always fair towards the invading
Britishers who came in to spy out the
land, procure the diamonds and gobble
up the goldfields. England has wanted
to annex the country of the Beers to
itself. Referring to the time when the
Dutch descendants were struggling
Mr.. Dodd states this:
"AIl thoughtful observers had deci-
OeQ CnaC a cndnSe Oh some KIM was
absolutely necessary. The existence of
a poor, weak, impotent state, doomed
to extinction by surrounding native
tribes, would only render the more
possible the obliteration of the white
man in South Africa. But what was
to be the nature of the change? Sir Y.
Shepstone cut the Gordian knot by an
nexing the country, in the name of
Great Britain. To this course every
one agreed except the Beers them
selves-those most concerned, n at
the same time the least able to under
stand their desperate condition"
This was years before the War of In
dependence began in 1881, when, as Mr..
Dodd says, 1.-The British arms sustained
severe defeat" There have been mis-
understanding and quarrels as to the
franchise. AS we gave it the other
day, B%ritishers wanted to help govern,
to vote, but not to surrender their allie
glance to the Queen. Think of that
kind of Importance in the United
States. Troubles increased. The Beers
extended their own dominions, and
England objected, opposed with arms.
This was in 1884. We quote now from
Mr.. Dodd:
"From 1882 to 1892 there was no seri-
ous demand for the franchise and no
great anxiety for reform. The country
was rich; and most of the new settlers
were making too much money to care
for reform. There was still, however,
great need of the latter. The
tendency of the administration from
1881 to 1895 may, perhaps, be best illus
trated by quoting the demands made,
in 1895, by the body known as the
Transvaal National Union-an indis-
criminate body, composed Of capital
lists, professional men, merchants, n
workingmen anxious to secure politi-
cal reform"
This suggests Hawaii and the nf1ux
of foreign adventures until they over
throw the native government and ad-
ded it to the United States. by conni-
vance of fraud Mckinley. You see the
"reformers"-all foreigners-had taken
LII laIl - -,o-o l;oEo@;-.