The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-10-19

the Vaal river, from which the coun-
try took its name, and on both slopes
of the Cashan mountains, into which
the Beers went when the British COB
bed up the Orange River Free State
The north boundary is formed by the
Oori or Lampopo river, the east by
Zululand and mountain range, and
on the west an underlined line separ-
ates it from the Bechuna tribes. The
area is estimated at 121, 954 square
miles and the population. by the best
authority, is placed at from $50, 600
to 800, 900, Of whom about 119, 1913
are whites, and more than 60, 600 OF
Dutch decent Subsequently about
one half of Zululand and part of
Swaziland and Amatonga were taken
into the republic. This country may
be termed vast plateau with occa-
sional mountain ranges There are
about 20, 900 farms there and the
chief products are wheat and tobac-
co. Gold, silver, copper, iron, lead
and tin are found in abundance, and it
has been British intrusion for the
| ata1 Il To- 81
the Vaal river that has brought OH
the present controversy.
The experiences of the Beers are
similar to those passed through by
the Pilgrim Fathers in early days.
The Dutch and Huguenot refugees
first settled in Cape Town, going
about the same lime and for the same
reason that the Pilgrims came to
America. But when the Napoleonic
wars left that country in the hands of
Great Britain, her domination was too
much for the Beers and they went
over into the Orange River Free
State and Natal. Finally Great
Britain extended her sovereignty to
those sections, and the Beers becom-
ing Victims of the same character of
treatment rs received at the hands of
old Britain in former days, retired to
the South African Republic, and even
there the British sought TO continue
their supremacy, but in 1913 the
Beers declared for independence in
the following unmistakable and pat
riotic language:
ave declare before God, who
knows the heart, and before the
world, that the people of the South
African Republic have never been SUBJ
jects OF Her Majesty, and never will
be, Z" and in defence Of this declara-
tion, the Beers met the British in
six battles, only one of which they
lost
In 1852 the British government
recognized the independence of the
republic, and in 1877 that country
was annexed to England, but in 1880
the Beers took up arms against the
Britons and the result was a nominal
suzerainty. England seeing the
trend of affairs, she again in 1884
recognized the republic. The adj
ministration of the national affairs
of that country is in the hands of a
president and council of five, and
there is legislature composed of
two bodies of twenty four members
each. The legislators are elected for
four years and the president for five.
The South African patriots nobly
defended their country during those
uays, wnen they were cOntending
with the natives and trying to throw
off the British yoke of oppression,
and came out OF the conflicts strong
er than ever.
The controversy between these two
nations, which was renewed soon after
England last recognized the indie
pendence Of the republic and when
it was found there were rich deposits
of gold and other minerals in that
country, has attracted the attention
of the nations of the earth, and anx
iously are they waiting for the out
come of the struggle which bears
such close analogy to the conflict
between the American colonies and
tue mother country which sought to
tlp fnrpfafh ers of ihie ran,i