The Indianapolis journal., 1899-11-09
esteemed Stats of Mr.. Sharkey ii would |
seem to have been case of slit for slat.
BOERS AND THE NATIVES.
A Basuto of the TranSvaal. Vow i'm
America, Tells This story.

Marshall Maxeke. in the Independent.
The newspaper dispatches Of late are to
the effect that. out Of sympathy for the
Beers, the Basutos. one of the most power
full tribes in the Transvaal. are arming
themselves to check the advance of the
British forces The Basutos inhabit the
section directly east of the Transvaal, and
come under the jurisdiction of the Dutch.
The tribe number 250.oo0. with scattered
white population of only 6,00o The Basutos
are skilled in agriculture and sheep raising,
and are almost equal to the Zulus in war
fare.
The whole matter Of my tribes antipathy
for the Beers depends upon the present bar
barous ard inhuman treatment accorded
them at the hands of the Beers My people
are extremely sensitive, and are in every
way able to distinguish between the treat
ment which belongs to a slave and
that which should be given free
man. Since 1858 Basutoland has been
nominally British territory: but the me
Dutch have exercised uninterrupted con-
troll. 1t is because of this despotic con-
troll and the inhumanity practiced upon tne
ignorant natives that the Dutch are afraid
the Basutos will take advantage OF the pres
ent situation and either join the English
forces or excite an insurrection.
From my knowledge of the present chief :
will join his forces with the British. He
would not dare take sides with the Dutch
Only once has that been done, and then the
Basutos oStracised their chief. The tribe Is
entirely opposed to the Beers.
In the Tirst place, the Beers are people
who seem TO know nothing OF right ana
justice. l say that from the manner in
which they treat the natives in the Trans
vaal. A dog in the Transvaal Is treated
better than % natye Why b the say tIs IS
side his BOer master, can stay in the Dutch
mans house, and is at liberty to go wnere
he desires-a s thing which is hardly allow wv,
which prohibits the natives from walking on
the pavement. The Beers say we are not
women. and speak of us as creatures along
with their domestic animals. This law is
enforced for both men and women through
out the Transvaal except in Pretoria. where
ment But no respect is shown them. and
they are compelled to wedge their way
come in contact with any Boer. Everywhere
else the natives have to walk in the broad
streets along with cows horses and carts.
no matter how muddy ii is.
The men have 10 wear around their arms
what is called badge made of tin some
thing like dogs tag. This badge has a
NUMBER stamped upon II, ana is issued Win
a paper on which are written the name
height. age and features of it's possessor.
This paper you are To carry in your pocket
all the time, and IL must be renewed every
month. There are street policemen who look
after this ordinance TO see that it is rigidy
and cruelty enforced. 1t does not matter
along the street the police will stop you
ard ask you for the paper to the badge. If
your paper Is over month old YOU will be
oee and ana ne exaeted IF You esen
the badge on the wrong place you will have
to bear the penalty of paying about 80 fine
Besides this there is another law for the
natives which Is the oldest Of them all. II
was instituted by the English for just pur-
poses in Cape Colony. But it has been gross
ly prostituted by the Beers. This law is
known as the pass law" Under it the
native has to pay about twenty-five cents.
sometimes fifty cents regularly to secure a
written paper. similar to the above bearing
the name of his trade occupations; or. if
he is working under white man, the name
OF his employer must be written on IL. This
paper must be regularly renewed This pass
he has to show every time he is accosted by
a policeman If the native is not able to
show 1t. he is taken to the court and with
out answering for himself is fined 81 or So, or
confined to month of hard labor.
Natives are not allowed on the streets
after o'clock at night. To walk after that
time they have to have a written excuse.
No native is permitted to purchase liquor of
any kind, and any native found intoxicated
him.
Only house servants are allowed to reside
near the white people. All the rest have
their own location. set apart in the most un-
desirable part of the towns. in which each
man rents from the city government at very
high rates. SO that they are almost con-
stantly in debt to the collectors Every
month the Beers have what they call
"patrollers'-a certain number of riding
Boers to so to the natives district and see
how they behave and to ascertain if they all
have their passes and badges. These patrol
lers are very oppressive and repeatedly in
jUre the natives.
in the Transvaal native never gets a
good position. only that of the meanest
hcuse drudgery under Dutchman, no mat
ter whether he is nigh class tradesman or
an Ignorant hunter. The highest wages paid
are. TO men. not over S6 week. and to
women not over s.. But the greater number
are cheated out of this by the Beers who
hire them; to those who slave in the fam
lies no wages are paid
The natives are not allowed to learn to
read and fines are extracted from any one
who is found teaching them The more edu-
Gated the native becomes, the more the
Dutch fate him. But IL he acts like a crazy
man, the better they like him.
The B2SutoS are satisfied that their condi-
ton would be vastly improved under the
English. and so far as / know the opinion
| of the natives in the Transvaal l do not
| think they will ever be on the Dutch side