Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-19

President Kruger when IN London hss
even published an invitation 10 Enef.s
men to settle In the country. Az bg,
time any settler could secure the elec,o,
raj franchise after a residence Of fu,
years. Now, although the Beers Vsl.
coined the tide Of money that flowed in,o
the exhausted exchequcr, they took staos
TO preserve their independence d. -
stricting the privilege Of the ballot Tia
probationary term Of qualification va,
raised to five years, and then TO fourteen
During that probationary term the rfo..
pectiye citizen had to forswear alleehnc.
7 TO any other State. Even az tho eroIra.
ton OF that term his admission deuard.s
upon the Will " the President and of fh.
Nolksraad, or legislative assembly
Thus, he might remain forever a r,.,
without a country. His children ev.,
II born In the republic were aliens WIN
could only gain the rights OF cltzcnss.,
by the same uncertain processes OF nata.
ralization. Meanwhile, TO increase fs,
preponderance OF the B0er dominatlos
the ballot was thrown open TO native chr.
dren as soon as they reached the age ofiG
Naturally, the Uitianders protested.
They pointed out that though they con-
stituted the majority 81 The State. owning
half the land, and q least nne-tenths of
the property and paying more than nine
tenths Of the taxes yet in an matters
affecting their lives. their liberties and
properties, they had practically no voice.
In 1880 a concession WAS made t0 fh.m.
A second Volksraad was created. for Is
members OF which aliens might vote after
taking oath and residing ior two years
I'm the country. But ass an lhe DEGREES -
the second Volksraad are subject 20 thl
approval Of the first Volksaai this cone
cession conceded little or nothing.
THEN THE CRISIS.
This discomfort reached crisis in ISIS.
The leaders among the Litandcrs had
formed a national union at Joaanneshulg
which threatened 70 fight Tor i's rights,
At this juncture came Dr. Jame sons llI
from British Bechuanaland. and DIS SUB.
seouent defeat, followed by the cafna-
ment OF johannesburg. The belief hl.
the British Colonial Office had con-r4
at the expedition and the certainty nag
Cecil Rhodes had inspired It, increas..ts
Boer distrust OF their hereditary foes ID
their unwillingness TO mako any ililf
concessions. For the moment, Jamosti
fiasco cast damper upon the Ulu4lish
Ii injured the prestige OK Great brtl
in the eyes of the world. II raised ni
belief Of the Beers IN the justice Of iaf
cause and in the continuance OF IT'S IT,
umDh.
Great Britain has recovered from ts
temporary setback Of the Jameson raid
Again she has turned an attentive ear %
the protests Of her citizens In the Trans
vaal. Matters were precipitated ty Do
shooting of one Of these citizens miner
named Edgar-while resisting the unaV'
full entry into his home Of Boer police
man, who, without warrant, sought Dts
arrest on the charge Of assault. IL was
shown that the assault had been com
mitted In self-defence upon an abusive
drunkard. Nevertheless, the policeman
was not only acquitted, but praised by
the presiding judge.
IL was this incident that led up 10 tho
present agitation. The flame was Tanned
when IJitlander meetings of protest were
broken up by organized bands led By
government officials A body known ID
the Iritlander Council was formed, VITA
representatives from the mines ana ili
towns. For the first time IN its history
Uitlander Johannesburg stood firm anl
united. Appeals were made 10 Sir Aliel
Miner, who. in 1891, was appointed 1.'-
ernor OF Cape Colony and High C0mm-
sioner for South Africa. In reviewing ,is
situation he declared that 'the case %
was overwhelmins. NJ
Joseph Chamberlain and the Lhs.si
Government sustained his view.
The result was meeting between p
Alfred Miner and President kruger 20
May 30, 1893, at a conference at hi..-
fonteln, the capital OF the Orang' tl'
State. The conference left matters "
statu quo. President Kruger bad 1e'
empowered by the Nolksraad 70 pri
conferrlng the franchise upon aliens L''
years after eligibility TO the second ha--
thus substituting nine years Residence (.
the territory for the fourteen at p'.
exacted. He proposed that oihef W.
tions in dispute should be submlul
arbitration. Sir Alfreds reply n
stance. was that on any vital h
there could be no arbitration belN9.
suzerain state and its dependency A
Ger refused 10 consider any terms T-
did not recognize the independence o. p'
Transvaal.