Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-20
THE ANGLO-BOER DISPUTE.

The AnglO-BOer dispute extends over
such a long period. embraces so many
propositions and counter propositions, in
wolves so much elimination and re-
elimination, and represents 50 much
diplomatic backing and filling on both
sides. that a detailed history of 1t
would FIJI a volume. a few of its essen
fial features. however, are these: With
the discovery Of gold in the Transyaal,
and the consequent great stimulation of
the influx Of Uitlanders, the Boer Gov
ornuent began to deprive the Uitlander
class of the rights and privileges it had
hitherto enjoyed. Not only this process
Of negaiion, but the institution of new
positive. oppressive. measures went on
until abont four years ago, when the
Iitlander population set forth their
grievances in petition TO the Rad. The
petition enumerated a score or more of
grievances, but the principal ones may be
summarized as follows: Exclusion from
the franchise. although the proportion of
the Boer and Uitlander taxes was as
G177.&e TO G3,7Oj,6Si; exclusion of the
English language from the schools, for
the support OF which Englsh-speaking
people pay Sl.O0O00S annually; practical
withdrawal Of the right of trial by jury,
the panel for the trial of Uitlanders be-
Ing invariably composed of Beers: sup
preston OF tight Of assemblage. and such
inequality Of the administration OF JUS
tice as the holding of an Uitlander In
1000 bail for organizing a public meet
) ing and a Boer in goo for murder; extor-
tions. of which the dynamite monopoly
was the worst, but which extended TO
nearly every branch of trade. the bene-
ficiaries being mainly Dutch capitalists.
This petition was rejected by the Road,
as others had been. then came the dis
turbance OF 1895, and the jameson raid
Aasco. and finally Kruger issued "a procla-
nation in which he made profuse pro-
misses OF reform. But as a matter of
practical fact none OF these promises
were kept. The shrewd Old Boer leader
was sparring for wind and opportunity,
and while ostensibly dispensing relief
with one hand, with the other he was
Tightening his grasp on the necks of the
Uitlanders. Every minor concession he
made was Offset by his causing the en-
actment OF some fresh oppressive legisa-
ton.
The next most notable developments In
the dispute were the forwarding by the
Uitlanders OF petition TO the British
Crown praying redress Of their griev-
ances. the feeling aroused in Great
Britain by the facts set forth in the pc
tition. aud the meeting of the Bloem-
fontein conference. The British PROPOSE
ton submitted at this conference was
rejected by Kruger. he virtually making
British Remuneration of suzerainty
condition precedent 10 any agreement.
Numbers of notes were interchanged,
proposals and counter proposals followed,
and eventually the BOer President agreed
20 the clause In the Bloemfontein propo-
sltion that the full franchise. under GER
tain regulations, should be bestowed upon
every foreigner who had been
resident OF the republic for five years.
But he opened the door for British de-
mand for additional specific redresses.
and while. as we understand II. he has
not rejected these in terms, he has made
the last British proposition the occasion
for repudiating his acquiescence on the
five year franchise condition.
And that condition. after all, is the
crnx OF the complication. 1t Is even pa
famount 10 the suzerainty issue. which II
would appear Kruger has releeated 20
the rear for the nonce. at least 1t is the
franchise matter indeed. that accounts
for the Boer Presidents obstinacy in
tempting fatc-in taking the chances OF
graphing with foe such as Britain, in
struggle that can hardly prove less
than the death struggle OF the Transyaal.
when Kruger first rejected the franchise
clause he said that It's acceptance would
be ''tartamount 20 handing the country
oyer TO foreigners" Why he should have