New-York tribune., 1899-07-26
"OOU PAUL" AND DYNAMITE.

ut was the dynamite question:, said Generai
Joubert long ago, (which first gave rise 10 so
much dissatisfaction throughout the land ana
(which made so many heads hot and hearts
"cold." In so saying the Vice-Presdent did not
overstate the case, as present developments
show The full truth concerning President hru-
gers reported resignation Is not yet at nand'
But the simple fact that he was reported 10
have resigned because Of a disagreement Win
the Volksraad on the dynamite queston-and
the report was generally credted-indcates now
much store the venerable Dopper sets upon the
maintenance of his profitable monopoly.
Dynamite is Of course, an absolute necessity
in the mining industry. That fact was recog-
nized by Mr. Krtger away back in 1887, wnen
the Transvaal mines first began to give promise
Of great wealth. He promptly took steps to
make profit from such necessity by granting to
a friend-who was n Hollander. but not citi-
zen nor resident of the Transvaal-an absolute
monopoly of importation or manufacture OF dy-
Mantle This was not the imposition Of heavy
tariff. 1t was utter prohibition of the importa-
ton or manufacture of the stuff by any one
save this one favored friend. 1t was stipulated,
by the way. that the monopolist should within
certain time erect factories and manufacture
the dynamite within the Transvaal And the
friend of the President permitted to charge
AS high rs $50 shillings a case for the dynamite.
The man failed to keep the agreement about the
factory. contenting himself with putting up
little shop in which he pretended to make
small proportion of what was wanted, though as
q matter of fact he did not make a pound there,
hut merely worked over some that had y I'M
ported To this infraction of the contract Mr..
KrtiCer paid no material attention, but let his
friend keep on in his own way. The dynamite
supplied was always OF bad quality, and gen.
erally was insufficient in quantity to meet the
demand AS for the price, II was outrageously
extortionate At first it was 80 shlngs. After
q time il was reduced to 120 shillings. At that
time the great firm Of Nobel Brothers was ready
to furnish far better quality. carriage free, for
37s. Cd. a case, The Transvaal Government
would not let them do ii, but continued to for
bid the importation of any by any one except
the Holland friend of the President But the
price was then reduced to 70 shings a case, at
which it now stands. That is to say, one of the
most important articles used in the chief indus
try Of the Transvaal is made 20 cost just twice
what 1t should cost, and that not TO encourage
domestic production for that Is practically pro-
hibited. but solely TO enrich foreigner who is a
haps. some of that foreigners friends.
The value Of this monopoly to the owner Of 1t
and his friends-is seen in the fact that about
two hundred and fifty thousand cases Of dyna-
mite are used each year. At 10 shillings 1t costs
no less than S4,6S7, 800. II free importation
were permitted it would cost probably less than
half that sum. We may reckon, therefore, that
half Of that sum. say S2,343,750, is clear profit
TO the man holding the concession over and
above the legitimate profits which any other
business man would make in supplying the dy-
Mantle. When we consider that the excess
charge does not benefit the State, but serves 10
"enrch individuals, the injustice Of such a tax
ION the staple industry becomes more apparent
land demands immediate removal" That quo
tation is from a report by commission Of the
TransvaaT Government appointed by Mr. Kri
ger himself. 1t expresses fact and sense But
Mr.. Krjiger not only ignored II, but has calmly
proceeded with arrangements for extending the
monopoly for fifteen years more. The fact that
General Joubert and the majority OF the Volks
raad are opposed to such or any continuation Of
the monopoly, and that they thus squarely dis
agree with the President on the subject Is
doubtless easily to be explained. They are not
friends of the man who has the monopoly. From
the circumstances Of the monopoly, too we may
derive some explanation Of the fact that the
President is able TO spend vast sums every year
I'm subsidizing newspapers and maintaining an
elaborate system Of secret service agents in the
Transvaal and throughout Europe. II the dyna-