The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-04
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 4. 1899.
1RE BoERS' STRyGGLE.

TIE Beers STRUGGLE.
In the expected war with Great Brit
ain the Beers would fight for independ-
ence and therefore their cause excites
sympathy, not only in the United
States, but among republicans through
out the world. At the same time the
Outianders are struggling against tax
alton without representation and
| against q variety of exactions and po-
litical deprivations far more grievous
than any that afflicted the American
colonists in 1865, and hence they also
would seom entitled to the sympathy of
a free people. Very seldom has an in
| ternational contest arisen in which so
| reasonable an argument could be made
for either side, or in which both dispur-
ants have seemed so often at fault.
The kind of independence for which
the Beers contend is radically different
from the American brand. 1t is spe-
cies OF knownothingism Of the most
narrow and offensive type, favored
with fragrant avarice and cupfdity. The
love of gold has been the undoing of the
,public. When the precious metal was
| discovered, the Doppers in alarm enact
ed law making gold digging Grim
| inal offence and no mines could be pub
4 licly opened. Human nature could not
| long be kept under such unnatural re-
| straint. The laws were changed, and
| from that date the trouble of the Beers
| began. Foreigners flocked to the coun-
ltry by thousands until they largely out
numbered the native population and be-
came the dominant industrial class.
4 When the Outlanders came the repub-
lie was bankrupt, but by the develop
ment Of mines and the growth of tribu-
tary interests the strangers in few
years made the Transvaal the first
i gold-producing country in the world,
and enriched the community in CORE
| spending degree. The Beers were not
so ignorant and unenterprising as not
never exploit the natural resources Of
the land, but they set to work to divert
to their own advantage the profits
1 earned by the newcomers. They did
more than that. Instead of welcoming
the Outlanders they adopted a policy
as outcasts. Though the English
speaking residents outnumbered the
natives two to one, the suffrage was re-
/ fused them, exorbitant taxes were inn
posed, tho expenses of business were in
creased nearly so per cent above the
normal by system of licenses, special
/ taxes and monopolies. English schools
were not allowed, and the use of Eng
1 fish in the courts was forbidden, even
| though vast majority of the litigants
involved were Englishmen. In short
while the Outlanders have done all the
work. earned all the money and paid
\ nine-tenths of the taxes, they are net
permitted to have a voice even in mu-
nicipal government With all the mon
/ ey turned over to the Boer tax gather
ers, nothing is done for education, san
j ftation or other public works, without
i intolcrable.
These abuses form one of the chief
| complaints of the British government,
which is supposed to have care for the
| queens subjects everywhere. If ma
i jority of the Outlanders We're Ameri-
cans rather than Britons, would there
be any conspicuously friendly feeling 81
this country for the Beers? Under
similar circumstances would not con-
gross and the press clamor for prompt
and complete redress? That the Out
landers arc not all angels and that they
! have been attracted to the Transvaal by
the love of gold are considerations that
do not alter the fundamental facts of
equity and justice. The Beers exclud-
ed the newcomers from political rights
and laid them under tribute in order to
keep the country for themselves and
prevent it's becoming virtually British
colony. That may be human nature,
but it is not the American way. The
method taken to achieve the purpose
was not only unjust, but highly inju-
dicious for it was calculated to lead to
the use of force for effecting an end
which, If 1t were inevitable, might have
been brought about peaceably and
without humiliation to the Beers.