The sun., 1899-09-17
England and tho Transvsal.

England and tho Transvaal.
According to the latest reports from Lon
| don and Pretoria, President KRtGEn has
made to Mr.. CHAMBRB1AIN's latest demand
| courteous reply, in which he valves his
request that England should renounce
what semblance Of suzerainty is left to
her by the Convention OF 1884. He offers
to give resident aliens the franchise
after seven years residence and 1t 10
10 be presumed that this concession,
like that previously proposed, is retro
active. He also assents to conference at
which the details of the suggested natural
ization law may be scrutinized. The fore
casts Of the reply do not mention the
number OF seats in the Volksraad to be
allotted to the Outlanders. but 1t is to be
supposed that the previous offer is repeated.
that namely. Of eight seats, which would
increase to thirty-six the total number Of
seats in the lower house OF the Transvaal
legislature. The representatives of the
Outlanders would thus constitute two
ninths OF the assembly.
All the London newspapers including the
Chronicle, which Is friendly to the Beers,
express the opinion that Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
will regard the Transvaal's reply to his de-
mand as unsatisfactory. Even Mr.. JOHN
MORLEY, who is opposed to q violent coer-
Dion OF the South African Republic, said at
the peace meeting in Manchester on Fri
day that he hoped the Beers would adhere
to their offer Of five years franchise. The
reason given by President KRtGER for his
substitution Of term of seven years
for one Of flve Is Mr.. CHAMBHRnA1Ns
refusal to consent to the renounce-
ment Of that trace Of overlordship re.
served to England in the Convention of
1884, which announcement was the oondi-
tion OF the five years offer. The Beers, he
says, might, with some show Of safety,
grant the franchise to the large number Of
Outlanders who would at once avail them
selves of the five years offer. provided the
complete Independence of the Transvaal
| should be acknowledged, for then the oath Of
allegiance taken by the new citizens would
| not be qualified by any tacit reservations
touching their duty to the reputed suze-
rain country. II, on the other hand, Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN insists on retaining q claim
| to suzerainity, seven years residence Is the
shortest term for the attainment Of the
AAd hhlCll VIC DOoTb can Do 0xDeCCHO
to concede. unless their desire to keep con-
troll OF their internal affairs Is pronounced
unjustifiable. Not even Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
has publicly denied that, II the Convention
OF 1884 grants the Beers anything at all, 1t
is, at least, the right to control their own
internal affairs. OF the Importance of the
difference between seven years and five
years residence, of the extent to which the
danger OF being swamped by newcomers
would be thereby lessened by the adoption
OF the longer term, the South African Re-
| public ought to be accounted the best Judge
Not only is it the best Judge, but it Is the
only judge who has jurisdiction In the
premises. for the Beers have, inoontestibly.
not only lawful but a moral right to take
precautions against a sudden and over.
whelming inflow OF naturallzed voters.
Their competence to do so rests on the fun
damental right to oself-preservation inherent
| in every autonomous community
1t Is evident from the Blue Book contain
ing the recent dispatches relating to the
Transvaal, that even an unqualified reply
in the affirmative to Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN's
latest demand in respect to the franchise
would have been followed by the exaction
| OF further concessions In relation to other
matters. In the conference at Bloemfon-
tein, Sir ALFRED MILNER took the ground
that the right kind OF franchise, which
he defined as naturalization after five
years residence. and the allotment Of
seven additional seats in the Volks-
raad, would give the Outlanders an
instrument by which they themselves
could secure the redress OF all the griev-
ances complained OF by resident aliens of
European or American birth. But, while
| this single concession might cure all the
alleged wrongs Of the Outlanders, II would
leave unremoved the disabilities imposed
upon the natives of British India and the
Kafiir subjects OF Great Britain who come
| from Natal and the Cape Colony to seek
| employment in the Transvaal. With regard
| to the expediency of removing such disabil-
ities and to all other international questions
In which Great Britain and the South Afri-
cap Republic are concerned as principal
| parties, President KRtjGER proposes that
| these should be submitted to a board OF
arbitrators. This board would not be-
necessarily. composed. either wholly or in
part, Of the subjects Of foreign power, for
no one knows better than President KRtGER
that he could find in England itself men In
whose impartiallty he could repose perfect
confidence. The Transvaal could suffer no
! injustice at the hands Of a board ON which