The Portland daily press., 1899-09-12
Interesting Letter From a BOsr
official.
Says Franchise Is Only
Pretext.
Letter Addressed TO Young Lady
Stopping in Portland.

Miss Emile Melville of the Shubsri
Stock company Is not only a most finished
actress but a delightful raconteur and
yesterday afternoon she was asked by a
reporter of the PRESS about her impress
sions OF South Africa where twas know
she spent several years. She spoke most
entertainingly saying; at was early
in the eos when left London at the head
Of the Melville Opera company for sea-
son at least in South Africa. We went
to Cape Town aud from there, after a most
crafty ing patronage, to Kimberly, johann
nesburg, the diamond fields. Pretoria and
other places in the Transvaal country.
We were absent lover i've years and saw
the very places which are now the scenes
of such International interest" Asked
II she studied the people and became
acquainted with the habits and character
OF the Beers. she replied: ''Yes, indeed.
saw grent deal Of the Beers and their
home 1ife."
"Do you know President Krugeri
Her Intelligent oountenance lighted up
with q smile as she replied: "Yes, he
Is thorough bred Boer of course but a
most pleasant man TO meet He receives
his visitors at 8 O'Clock In the morning
ON his porch. generally In his shirt
sleeves and while taking his cup of coffee
He is deeply religions man of the
strongest kind of character. i have the
deepest sympathy for him and his people
in their present struggle. for think ,and
SO do most Americans who have been
thrown in contact with them, that they
are fighting for their rights just as Anne.
rtcans fought for theirs years ago.
'As for the Beers generally, the older
ones are set in their ways and many Of
their ideas, but they have progressive
spirit and are seeing to 1t that the boys
and girls have q liberal education. In
Pretoria they have beautiful homes, filled
up with electric lights and all modern
improvements. There are quite a number
of Americans out there and they are en-
ployed by the Beers as mining engineers,
electricians, etc.. and they have no trouble
in getting along with the people. In fact.
the Bozrs like Eths Americans but they
dislike the English
Miss Melville made a host OF pleasant
and lifelong friends while In this far.
away country and when the recent trou-
bles arose, SO deep was her interest in her
old friends. that she SAINT letter to one
of her lady friends for information as to
tina real cause. The young lady referred
it to one high in state affairs. no less
q parsonage than i. j. Krogh who was
and Is most likely now assistant secretary
of the colony and warm personal friend
Of President Kruger. The envelope Is
marked Government Office, Pretoria, and
this very important communication
which ably sets forth the cause of the
read with the greatest interest.
my Dear Miss Melville :-Magg lie
showed me your letter to her and asked
me 60 write you something about the po-
litical situation In this country. 1 am
going to do SO. but in order TO properly
world and tho split between the two
white races in South Africa person
must go years bacK.
"When the English came into posses
sion of Cape Colony early in this century
they took IL over from the Hoilanders and
Uue innaUltantS mere IN h06 Colony were
consequently almost all Dutch. augment
ed by certain number of French rslig-
ions refugees, also they had siaves and
were mostly well-to-do. Their new mas
ers, howe yer, after a deal of troubls de-
clared, after a certain date, all slaves free.
AS is usual with the unctuous piety of
the English, their parliament voted
certain sum to he devoted as oompensa-
ton to the owners for their slaves, but
they took good cara never to send the
money out here, hut the people, who were
innocent and primitive, had to employ
agents TO work out this money for them
These were English and they got rich.
Some OF their descendants are still we'll
to-do and honored men In South Africa.
So dissatisfied were the people that they
came tDgether and wanted Tn fight for
their rights They were, however, sur
prised and i've of their best men we're
hung, at Slachtersnek. They now deter.
mined, rather than live under such an
unjust government to take into the wiz
derness. They moved through what Is
now the Free State into Natal where
they honestly bought land OF tbs natives
ana thought TO settle. But this was
not allowed them and after many fights
with the natives the English came TO
Durham Natal and landed and after q
stout resistance this country was also
taken from them and they moved again
into what Is now the Free State and the
south African kepu biie. but even here
they were followed and the Free State
WAS, after the battle of BooGnplaats an
nexed as the range River Territory. But
after some years the English abandoned
titioned them not to leave them to the
msara< Of natira hordaa Thov haa Ell