Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10

African states, sustaining a relation to Great
Britain similar to that held by Canada.
Others have visions of wealth to be won by
a repetition of the East India company eX-
ploitation.
Obviously such plans can be successfully
realized only by the help of railroad sys-
TENS binding the different parts together.
Great progress has been made in the con-
struction. People can already look forward
to the time when British troops can be
transported to Capetown, to the lower val
ley of the Nile by rail and all the English
forces of the continent rapidly concentrated
at any point between the two extremes of
the continent That meaps a British Africa
and the end of German and French eXpan-
sion on the continent But it is a physical
necessity that such a railroad system must
either run directly through the Boer coun-
try or close to its borders. The Beers are
known to be very obstinate in their views
extremely friendly to Germany and, above
ALL thoroughly hostile to England. That
railroad cannot with safety be left with such
a people, lest it fail of its purpose when
most needed.
JOhnnnesbUr@ers' Grievances.
AS this is a statement of facts and not
an argument, it is not fitting to point out
why England takes up the quarrel Of the
mixed population of johannesburg, 1t is
clear that she had no controversy independ-
ent of theirs. The sole new feature she adds
10 it is the "suzerainty" element That
,,ame upon the stage incidentally and later,
as we shall see
What we're the original demands and the
BoCrs' reply thereto?
FiIst--When The foreign population first
began to invade the Transyaal it found the
BOer law granting suffrage after a two
years residence As the foreign population
increased the time limit was raised to Ave
and finally to fifteen years 1t practically
excluded the foreigner from any partcipa-
tion in the government. Englishmen de-
manded that a comparatively shorter resi-
dence should entltIe the foreigner to vote,
The Beers said: We cannot do this, be-
cause the ouJlanders outnumber u9 and II
granted the franchise Will take possession
of our government, We abandoned our
homes and for two generations have fought
sayages and endured hardships that we
might be free from English rule. We win
not voluntarily again put ourselves under
dominion which is to US positively hate
ful" The franchise was the main demand
of Great Britain.
Sccond-In addition the English demanded
these reforms in case suffrage was not
granted; more stable constitution, l. e.,
ono that could net be amended at will by
the legislature; the making Of the judiciary
Independent Ct the legislative; the cancel
lati0n of trading monopOlic5; the equality
OF the English and Dutch languages in the
courts; the removal of the political disabili-
ties Of Catholics and Jews; the reorganiza-
t!on Of the civil service; a free press
better school system, and free trade,
TO all OF those the Beers reply in sub
stance: The matters You mention concern
our internal policy, We are not a CONNER
cial people and you yourselves have seen 10
ii that We must remain isolated from the
rest Of the world, We are a primitive pas
toral people and the present forms are
adapted to our simple needs and satisfy us.
As to outsiders we do not invite them 10
cCme nor DO we wish them 10 stay If they
wish 10 live under a government having an
the modern improvements let them go back
10 England. If they remain all they have
e right to demand is security for life and
property and this we viii give them in our
own way The fact that your subjects in
search of gold have seen III to come among
ms in large numbers gives to them or you
no right to dictate changes in our form Of
government nor in our laws. You have no
moro right to demand these things OF us
than you have TO demand them of America, |