The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-20

ne1gnDOrS. 4lelQ1nS partly TO a desire
for self protection, partly to show OF
British force, the Beers consented to
annexation with the British empire in
spite of the protest of Dom Paul kru-
ger and other sturdy minded young
patriots.
So for awhile the Beers and British
fought the blacks side by side, but the
Beers fretted under the British yoke,
and under the plea that Britain had not
performed her promises they rose in
rebellion in 1880 and, after the bloody
victory of Majuba Hill, succeeded in
again establishing their independence
subject to the suZerainty of her mai
esty." The treaty which contained
these words was signed at Pretoria in
IN 1888 the Beers sent a deputation
to London to secure the abolition Of
the suzerainty- Gladstone was in pow
er then, and under his leadership a new
agreement was signed by which Eng
land gave up her rights of suzerainty
except in regard to treaties with for
eign powers and the Orange Free
State. This was signed in London in
1854, and the documents are now
known as the London conventions. The
Interpretation of this agreement was
the subject of the discussion which has
led up to the present state of affairs.
Mr.. Chamberlain not being so kind
ly disposed as was Mr.. Gladstone, de-
clares that the alien laws of the Trans
wall republic constitute q breach of
the London conventions and that con-
sequently said documents are annulled.
Hence, he argues, the suzerainty is
Although in 1884 England definitely
and specifically renowned all right to
interfere in the internal government
of the Transvaai. she now makes a
very distinct demand. She saws the
vOlksraad must pass a law which will
make any white man eligible to full
rights of citizenship after a five years
residence without forswearing alle-
glance to his native country
At present the only citizens entitled
to vote for president of the Boer re-
public are those who were residents of
the TranSVaal previous to 1876 or who
carried arms for the government in
any of the various wars of independ-
ence. OF course this applies only to
white males. Voters of these GuaHfica-
lions are known as first class burghers,
and, so far as numbers go, they are in
a ridiculous minority.
Should the request for a five year
franchise be granted the Beers would
find themselves speedily legislated out
of existence. Such a concession would
hand over the control of the govern
ment to the uitlanders.
Still, there remain the grievances of
the uitlanders. Some of them deserve
to be classed as outlaws, it is true, for
blacklegS from the four quarters of the
earth can be found in the streets of
Johannesburg. Yet the majority are
not OF this description.
The denial of the suffrage is not the
only grievance of the uitlander. He
taxation, of the misuse of the proceeds
in corruption of the civil service. The
BOer has little reason to complain Of
either abuse. The taxes by which the
treasury is filed are not levied upon
him. He consumes his own untaXed
products. He has few wants which
force him to contribute to the duties
levied on imports. SO long as it is not
his money that is wasted he cares lit
tie what becomes of it.
BIOnOpOlies- have been imposed upon
everything from mining machinery to
mineral waters, and after enrichinls
their own Golfers to the bursting point
the shrewd minded Beers have eXpend-
ed a gOOdly fraction of the remaining
revenue to arm and equip their coUn-
trymen with the most modern muni-
lions of war in anticipation of coming
unrest.
According to the malcontents, it has
become a. habit with the BOer to hold
one hand on the throat of the uitlander
and the other on his family Bible.
Then the uitlanders have no voice in
educational matters. Their children
are taught only the crude BOer patOis
in the public schools. They are de-
MED the freedom of the press and, in
certain ways, even freedom of speech,
for it is criminal to hold public meet
ings. They have no power in the mu-
nicipal government of Johannesburg,
and when they appear for trial they do
so before juries of Dutch burghers.
The president has the right to eXpeI
any member of the community from
the republic without trial.
Whether the Beers are able to de-
fend their country or not is a disputed
question. On the face it would seem
absurd that nation which shows
fighting force of only $4,000 could sue
cessfully resist the great armies which
England could send against it. But
those figures do not truthfulIy repre-
sent the number of ablebodied Beers
who can bear arms.
The real army is the nation in arms.
It is impossible to give exact figures
concerning its strength. A German
army officer who recently made a re-
port on the Boer fighting strength says
he asked men and boys of all ages in
all stations of life in all parts of the
TransVaal whether they would go to
war, if it came to war, without ever
receiving a negative or even a doubt
full answer. Even the Oldest men he
met thought they would be good for
something as long as they had fingers
to pop a gun with and eyes to see a
redcOat
The kaiser's informant thinks the cit
izen army comprises at least 10000 men
between the ages of 25 and 50 years.
Though the majority of uitlanders are
exempted from military duty, the
younger men viii readily help their
neighbOrs, he thinks. OF the 1000
blacks able to shoulder arms, 10000 may
be relied upon to fight with a will
The nation in arms really means an
army of mounted infantry, for every
citizen soldier reports for duty on
horseback, and there are no better rid
ers or sharpshoOters in the world. The
German observer says it seems to be
impossible to tire out a BOer or his
mount LAS to getting away from his
bullets, the English have tried it once.
Their losses in the war of 1880 and
1881 were 1,159 dead and wounded
against 113 Beers. who received
scratches