Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-12
rITLANDER GRIEVANCES.

TIII4ANDish 'sthAhff ~
Ae our readers know. apart from the
question Of franchise. the Citlandors IN
the Transvaal complain that they are
subjected 10 the most grievous restric-
tions in the prosecution Of business. Yes
terdav in dispatch from London. were
set forth. as summarized by the Beer
Government. the rights Of the Jiilander
class in respect of this matter. as guar
ont,cd bv the convention of 1884. These
rights are as follows: Liberty with their
families. 10 enter. travel. or reside i'm
any mart of the South African republic;
liberty TO hire or possess houses. manu-
factories. warehouses. shops. and other
premises: liberty TO carry on their com
merce. either in person or by any agents
whom they may think ft TO employ; inn
munity i'm respect OF their premises or
property. or i'm respect of their com
meroc and industry. from any taxes other
Than those which are, or may Dee, inn
messed upon the citizens of the said re-
public
The Beers claim that they have lived
mn 10 the letter of these articles, and per-
hans they have, although the British
deny fl. But be that as it may. how have
,he rights worked out in spirit, so 10
speak? Some facts touching this point
may not be interesting, and may serve
to put the British Government I'm bet
Ter light as 10 its position ON one phase
of the issue. 40 least When the conven-
ton Of 1854 was concluded there were
scarcely 5000 whites iu the Transvaal.
The development Of the gold-holds had
not commenced. and Johannesburg was
n small collection of squalid huts. Now
there are about 100000 whites in the
country. and the Citlanders outnumber
the Beers in the proportion Of three TO
one. The "Staats Almanack," an Official
publication. puts the adult male Boer
population al 1929. and the adult male
Uiuander population Of 1912. In 1855 the
annual revenue of the republic was $500
600. The annual revenue to-day is about
so 100000 This S2O.000OlO a year, which is
obviously I'm excess Of the needs of the
Government is derived, directly or
indirectly. almost wholly from the
Titlander population, and II IS
claimed that much of it finds
It's way by channels more or less de-
yious into the Golfers of Kruger and his
favorites. Comparatively little Of it is de-
voted TO the construction of public works.
But this IS not all the tax that the
Uitlander has to pay for the right Of car
rying on trade. industrial enterprises,
and commerce. The miners, who. consi-
tute a large proportion Of the foreign
population, are compelled TO buy their
dynamite. Of which vast quantities are
used. from a monopoly, and at cost OF
100000 a year more than they would
have TO pay In open market. As eoal-con-
sumers they turn i'm to a monopolist rail-
way company a tribute OF a dollar ton
for the transportation Of their coal over
twenty-five miles of absolutely fiat coun-
try; and in addition 20 all other taxes,
most Of the mining companies are mulct-
ed OF per cent. of their profits
And lust here, In considering the Boer
argument that the British would violate
the convention, let it be borne I'm mind
that Boer compliance with the British
franchise demand offered the only hope
short OF British annexation of the Trans
wal of a change in these oppressive con-
ditions. When The convention of 1854 was
signed, there was no especial rca-
son why the Uitlanders should
have desired any more liberal fran
ohise privileges than those then
agreed upon. and which. restricted
rs they were have been systematically
evaded. But IN this patter. as in many
oihers, the apothcgm circumstance
alter cases" would seem 10 apply At any
rate. Il has always been made 10 apply
By Great Britain when such issues as
exist In the Transvaal have developed.