Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-09-09
THE TRANSVAAL.

Beers in the Transvaal? For nearly
fifty years they have blocked British
aggression and advance in South
Africa and prevented the realization
of Britains dream of an African
empire with its fabulous mineral
wealth aud trade. Just now they
stand in the way of the projected
British trans African railway from
Cairo to Cape Town and the ex-
pectant results thereof-mastery OF
nearly the entire trade of that con-
tinent by control of the only rapid
route of transportation. And added
to this, the Transvaal is the center
from which all of South and Central
Africa, with its developing wealth
and growing trade, is accessible.
The control of it by any nation,
especially England, would give it
the key to and domination of this
vast territory and what it contains,
and practically exclude all competi-
ton. This is the secret of England S
anxiety and persistent efforts to &C
quire it-treaties and national
equity to the contrary notwith-
standing.
The Transvaal is independent,
and as An independent State is neu-
trail to all nations, having treaties
with most of them, under which
they and their subjects are allowed
access to and from their territorial
possessions, and to carry on trade
and industries in and through the
Transvaal country. With no gov
ernment but England has there
been trouble. England, though
having a treaty granting more privi-
leges and advantages than to any
other foreign power, has made peri
odical demands on the Transvaal for
further concessions, and by covert
means in violation of the treaty,
such as the Jarnison raid, sought the
overthrow of the Transvaal Gov
eminent. She failed because of the
shrewdness and bravery of the
Beers and the intervention of
Portugal, Holland and Germany,
whose interests were threatened,
the latter backing up her protest
with war ships.
But England has persisted in her
designs on the Transvaal. Demands
and attempted encroachments have
been met and thwarted by the Beers.
The bone of contention for past
years has been the Uitlanders,
whose cause England champions.
The Uitlanders are aliens, princi-
pally British subjects, who, by
treaty, are allowed to hold property,
engage in mining and business en-
terprises, but are not allowed to
vote or hold Office, thus blocking
the scheme of England to obtain
control of the Government, which
is a republic, by immigration and
outvoting the Beers. The Trans
vaal finally agreed to amend the law
so as to allow the franchise and the
holding of minor offices to Uitland-
ers after seven years of permanent
and later reduced the
time to FIVE years residence. Then
England demanded that the Trans
vaal electoral law be submitted to a
joint commission for revision, allow
ing Uitlanders the franchise and
to all Offices and rights
enjoyed by the Boer citizens. To
this the Boer Government was tardy {
to reply, and England was reported !
preparing for war i'll the Transvaal, s
which would be inevitable in case
The demand was not granted: The {
has replied, courteously s
put firmly refusing to comply with |
demand, and it is up to I
England to fight. a
But unless the Beers are provoked i
q some hostile act to Justify resort | c