The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-12-09
THE BRITISH B0ER WAR.

6EHE war between the English
and the South African Beers
is watched with interest by
America and civilized Europe. Each
side has it's sympathizers in this coun-
try as well as elsewhere, and those who
have only the most meager knowledge
of the merits of the contest are as
strong in their sympathies and opinions
as those whose knowledge is not alone
acquired from the newspapers. The
Beers have many intelligent sympa-
thizers in this country. Many of the
purest- blooded Americans desire to see
the Dutchmen win, while large per
cent of American Dutch or Germans
but a generation or two removed from
their Fatherland ancestors, are i'm
PEELED as much by racial feeling as by
cold reason and justice, earnestly sym
pathize with the Beers. One national
reason why so many citizens of a free
republic, like ours, sympathize with
the Beers is the fact that the latter are
fighting to maintain republic-fght-
ing bravely against strong power
that, in the opinion of many, does not
scruple to dominate weaker powers
when occasion offers. The "under dog
in the fight excites sympathy, even
when it is not justified by the merit OF
his cause. A glance at the history and
character of the Beers is not uninter-
esting, nor untimely, in view of the
present war, the result of which will
mean ar other step in the onward march
of civilization:
Nearly two hundred and fifty years
have been added to the centuries since
the Dutch East India Company estab-
lished a settlement in Cape Colony in
the extreme south of Africa. Thirty
six years later this growing Dutch col
ony was augmented in numbers by
many Huguenots who settled there. In
1875 the colonists sought to free them
selves from Dutch rule, whereupon the
British sent fleet and took possession
of the colony in the name of the Prince
of Orange. 1t was subject to British
!If s.5 u1fhtIf foUaa, winen II was restored &C
Holland. Upon the renewal of the
European wars in 1906 the British again
took possession, and the colony was
formally ceded to them by the King OF
the Netherlands at the general peace
of 1918. Several wars with the native
Caffres occurred, the final result Of
which was the establishment of the
present Cape Colony. Slavery had ex.
listed from the first, but the slaves were
emancipated by the British in 1884
This greatly angered the Beers, who
had reduced to slavery those Hotten,
tots whom they did not destroy, after
robbing them of their land. In 1885
the year following the British emanci
patton of the slaves, the Beers solo
their farms and moved to Natal, on the
southeastern shore, where they estab
lished a republican government, sub
iugating the natives, reducing them tC
slavery and otherwise treating then
with brutal severity. In 1915 the En-
glish Government declared the Dutch
sovereignty to exist over Natal, wher
after some resistance The more deter
mined of the Beers crossed the river
Vaal and set up government of theil
own. The Transvaal republic lies be
tween the Vaal on the south and the
Limpopo or Crockodile river on the
north. Orange Free State lies between
the Transvaal and Cape Colony, with
Natal on the south of Orange. The
Transvaal area is about H. 900 Englisf
square miles-more than two-and-a-hal
times as large as Tennessee, and twice
as large as England. In 1872 it had {
population of only one to the square
mile, while Natal, with territory o
1880 square miles, had population
of fifteen to the square mile, or abou
100000. The Orange Free State i!
about tho Siza of TennaScaa
The Beers were originally pure Dutch
but many of them have intermarrie(
with immigrants and refugees of differ
emit blood. The name was formerly
spelled Doors. A historian, writing
fifty years ago, says of the Cape Colon,
Dutch: "The Doors, or Dutch farmers
have grazing farms which are severa
miles in extent, in every direction
They are the bulk of the population
and live in Incidence, giving the care
of the flocks and herds, which cove
their extensive domains, to their farm
laborers, or slaves, who are general,
Hottentots. The farmer gets neither
milk, butter, fruits, wine nor vegeta
bles from his farm, but is content will
three greasy meals of mutton, soaked
in the fat of the long-tailed sheep, |
he can also have his tobacco-pipe, which
scarce ever quits his mouth, and hi
o.1opc ~ bropdy HE wife cite ifnmnv