The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-17
THE soUrn AFRICAN SITUATION.

IL SOb III AtitltAN SITUATION.
An English minister being asked last
week what tho Governments policy would
be in South Africa, replied; Absolute
equality, nothing more ana nothing less
Is what we intend. There can be but one
fate for the BOer ongarchy There can
be left no doubt OF British sovereignty in
all South Africa, but, that secured, me
policy of magnanimity and consideration
which has made the French Canadian a
loyal British subject. and has even given
the premiership OF the British federation
into the hands or a French Canadian
Of the French Canadians, WILL I doubt
not. be applied with equal success in South
Africa. Tho Boer has qualities which.
under free institutions. will provide splen-
did material for building up a state. To
ruthlossly destroy his amour propre and
best traditions would be the supremest
act Of folly. 10 has always been the aim
or British policy 10 turn 10 the fullest uses
tho natural bulwarks Of the State
We said last week that there was far
deeper meaning I'm England's present po-
sition towards the Transvaa than a de-
termination 10 secure justice and equal
rights for English citizens residing there
though that motive would probably have
been sufficient TO drive her to her present
course We said that the real purpose
was 10 compel every one in South Africa
TO bow TO tho supremacy OF Great Brit
aims will and TO make all mankind take
notice that she was suzerain and supreme
n the entire English sphere. This posi-
tion Of The Times is entirely sustained
bv the sitteranco OF the Cabinet minister
hat We have quoted. His language in
die,ltcs Isainly enough that the actual
cause of British movement to-day I'm
South Africa is to make all Africans and
au others everywhere know and UNDER
stand that England in lord and master
Of an that part Of Africa that she has
claimed as her own. and that she viii
exert every source Of power and influence
that she possesses to compel the world,
as well as Africa, to concede her claims.
There is reason in assuming such a po-
siton. Circumstances have so connected
Great Britain with South Africa that she
feels compelled 90 assert sovereignty over
an immense area Of territory there. For
more than an hundred and fifty years, her
subjects have been settling in various
parts Of South Africa, sometimes going
there as the missionary with Bible in
hand. sometimes as the adventurous mer-
chant in pursuit Of gain, but however
going. settling I'm the country and acquir-
ing homes there. They never ceased to
be Englishmen because they made their
homes in Africa, and England's duty 10
ended for a moment because their homes
were in a far distant wild. These condi-
tions have evolved a situation that linked
her indissoluby to the politics Of South
Africa. and she could not sever her re-
lations with the country # she would.
Her assertion of sovereignty has grown
out of the necessity Of controlling canni-
balls and other savage tribes. The Beers
now dispute her authority and she IS
forced 10 the alternative OF yielding 10
their insistance. or Of stalking her Empire
upon the result of a contest with them.
We cannot but sympathize with the
Beers. for they are brave people, con-
tending for what they believe to be
their rights. hut we cannot permit our
appreciation OF their courage and patriot
ism to blind our eyes to the fact that
they have an ongarchy, as the British
minister says, which is tyranical and OPP
presslve as that of any other oligarchy
that has ever existed The Boer has
invited the citizens Of all other countries
TO come into his country and spend their
money and energies in improving it, and
now that they have made II rich and pros
porous. he says TO them that they shall
bear all Of its burdens, but share in no
mart of its benefits but those he chooses to
dole out 10 them. This is after the fash
ion OF all oligarchies that have ever ex-
lsted and Of all that ever will exist, and
the Democratic Times is opposed TO them.