New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-07
THE TRANSVAAL ISSUES.
AN ENGLrSHMAN'S REPLY TO AN or
ANGE FREE STATE CRITIC.

TION FOR REFORM
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: on June "a The New York Tribune paid an
anonymous correspondent from the Orange Free
State South Africa. a distinguished honor this
man. whose initial Is d.. and who IL described
In an agreeable headline az "a high official" Of
the Orange Free State, was permitted to adorn
your columns with what he called IAN appeal
to American sympathies"-an appeal, that Is.
against the movement for reform among the
Outanders in the Transvaal and their petition
to Her Majesty Queen Victoria's Ministry.
To your accomplished London correspondent
and az may go on TO say with ludicrous anti
climax my friend, Mr. Ford owe similar
privilege Mr. Ford has swoOped upon me sit
ting In green bird haunted English lawn"
dear to himself and to me- that looks upon the
Thames hard by the scene OF Wordsworths
most famous sonnet. He has descended on me.
he has thrust into my hand The Tribune Of
June a. and he has. In effect, ordered me into
the house TO frame AN answer" 10 Krdgers
apologist, the unknown d., OF Bloemfontein.
sigh, but / obey. Apart from the awe inspired
by his high office, Mr.. Ford IL one whom his
fellow craftsmen both sides OF the Atlantic
delight to honor. The day is fair, and, for an
English summer is passing hot; the broad
bosom OF the Thames. stirred by breeze, 10
good TO look upon. But Mr.. Ford has said the
word and here, in consequence is the hard
wood OF the DESK" and on IT The Tribune Of
June "a, with DIS letter.
The first thing which will strike an impartial
critic In reading your correspondent from the
Orange Free State is this-that in attempting
to conquer American sympathes he does not
seem 10 consider the American public within
the reach of argument. He prefers what am
7 iponi call " tho QentleSt
which will describe MISUNDERSTANDING and
abuse There are Measurements about the Brit
ish Government in its former relations with the
Transvaal about the behavior OF Great Britain
10 the Transvaal In the present crisis. about the
Outanders, touching the genuineness Of their
grievances and their petition. There Is abuse OF
Great Britain abuse OF Mr.. Chamberlain, abuse
of the British colonies in South Africa. And,
frankly, they may remain forever unanswered.
II any reader OF The Tribune is impressed by
blank assertion and prefers the gentle art OF
calling names to argument don't propose to
essay that readers conversion. But has ID.
nothing else? Passing carefully between the
thunderbolts Of his letter. one discovers that
he has, after ALL a certain thesis which II may
be as well to answer. and certain misstatements
which, while gross enough in all conscience, are
yet serious enough to demand contradiction.
POINTS TO BE ANSWERED.
Summarized carefully, find that d. ad-
vances as important the following statements
pleas:
First-Brltain originally "usurped" the Trans
vaal.
Second Britain in 1881 "wthdrew from the
country and a convention was signed whereby II
was agreed that the people Of the Transvaai
State should again be free TO govern them
selves. England. however retaining a so called
suzeralnty over that State" On account OF
the dissatisfaction OF the people with certain
obnoxious clauses in this convention, and more
particularly with that which related 10
suzerainty, representations on the subject were
successfully made TO the British Government
by certain duly appointed representatives, and
British suzerainty withdrawn. 1t 10
necessary to remark that Lord Derby. who was
then in office, expressly intimated this TO the
representatives just mentioned" The suzerain-
ty has been claimed since then by Mr.. Cham
berlan alone.
Thlrd-Outlander grievances-(a) Franchise
AT present every foreigner who has resided nine
years in the country and takes an oath similar
to the naturalization oath required in the
United States is entitled TO naturalization"
The Outlanders do not grumble on the score OF
the nine years. but against having TO give up
their Old allegiance This is 80 monstrous
position TO take up that even the hardihood OF
Chamberlain will not be equal TO it," Thus
there is no franchise grievance; nor (b) any
grievance OF taxation. The taxation is far
lighter than in the neighboring British colo
MES. In short, there are no grievances.
Fourth-The petition is the work OF million
aires. and the signatures to 1t were paid for.
Fifth-Americans must sympathze with the
Beers Also, why don't Americans come TO the
Transvaa? They would be welcome there.
Those seem to be your correspondents points.
put as fairly as one can express them. Now let
Us take them one by one in order.
First-"Britain originally usurped the Trans
vaal' That is not true Britain annexed the
Transvaal in 1877 because that State was (a)
bankrupt, and (b) menaced by the Zulus. most
formidable OF native powers. The Zulu war Of
1879 was fought TO protect the Transvaal. No
doubt it was a mistake 10 annex country
whose people dlsiked TO be annexed. But no
one has ever been able to suggest that any
other course was open TO Great Britain-cer-
tainly have heard no intelligent Dutch states
man ever suggest one
MIR. GLADSTONE'S MAGNANIMITY
Second-"Britain I'm 1881 withdrew from the
country" ETC. and in 1884 gave UP the
sczerainty.' This is the most serious OF DIS
msstatements. The facts these: In 1881,
after the skirmish OF Majuba-in which. let II be
said. the Beers fought admirably and routed he
advance column sent against them-Ceneral sir
Evelyn Wood took over the British command
He surrounded the Boer General, and was pres
emily able TO telegraph home to Mr.. Gladstones
Government that he held the Boer Army IN tho
hollow OF his hand. Mr. Gladstone then cabled
nSh
Beers and peace was concluded Mr. Gladstone
enthusiastically felt that. as the Beers were
fighting. though greatly in a MISREPRESENTATION