The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-11-07
Chicago Interior.
THE BOERS SIDE OF THE CON-
TROVERSY.
BY D. BURKHART.
BY D. BURKHART.

BY u. BURkHART.
Your six principal parts against the
Beers, in your last issue, call for an
answer; they are so pro-English and 80
unwarranted by facts, that love of JUS
tice compels me to answer.
l. Taxation without representa-
ton" exists also in this country and all
countries where an outlander does not
or cannot become a citizen. We have
many British subjects in this country
who refuse to become its citizens, and
so are taxed without representation.
The point in question is, that Great
Britain wants its subjects to become
citizens Of the Transvaal, and retain
their citizenship in England, an an
omaly in citizenship, that exists in no
country in the world, and would not be
tolerated by any country.
Another popularity is, that coun-
try almost forces its citizens to become
subjects of another country, as Great
Britain has been trying to do in the
Transvaal, not for love of the Beers,
but simply by retaining their home cit
izenship to annex it, if possible, by bal
lot, to the British crown. That is the
secret of the grievances in a nutshell,
and at once we will understand, why
Great Britain is 80 anxious to have her
subjects become subjects of another
country. All the other outlanders have
no grievances, and are in unison with
the Beers and fighting with them for
their rights. The American outlander
never complained, with rare exceptions
and they love liberty las much as the
British. The question of it being inn
possible to become citizen, due to
many restrictions, is easy to assert, but
hard to prove, as you need statistics or
personal experience to substantiate
lyour argument. I have heard of nc
refusal due to restriction; however,
that some safeguards were taken, is due
to the Beers experience with the Brit
ish.
Twice they were annexed when they
had been declared free. In 1877 oc.
CURED the annexation, by few sol
diers and a representative coming te
Pretoria and reading to few amazed
burghers a proclamation that the
Transvaal was now British territory
The war of independence following was
successfully maintained, until noble ole
Gladstone seeing the injustice of the
British cause, renounced all rights tt
the Transvaal in 1884, except in theil
external relations. This bitter exper
fence was followed by the Jameson raid
instigated and abetted, have no doubt
| by the British government of Cape
Colony, VIII ich raiders being sent bacl
to England, were treated as heroes, ant
not as criminals, as they should have
been and asEngland promised they woult
be treated. These experiences, with
the fact that when an Englishman be
came citizen of the Transvaal he still
retained his right as British subject
were such that it required some re
striction if they did not want traitors t
dispossess them of their country.
The migratory character of the pop
ulation in the gold fields of Johannes
} burg, is the main reason for so few ap
plying for citizenship, as the larger
part are fortune hunters and tough
characters, who do not become attach
ed to people or country, and wheI
their person or object has been attain
led, leave without regret, for the plac'
from which they came, or to othel
fields. The duties developing upon be
coming citizen also prevented man.
from availing themselves of citizen
ship. Notwithstanding the natural dis
like to ass;milate such material, ani
citizens las they remained citizens o
Great Brittany, the Transvaal was will
ing to give five years franchise, with
out restrictions, or to refer the ques
tion in dispute to arbitration, surely {
humane and biblical method, and show
ing the courage of their convictions il
letting others Judge of the right o
their position.
II 'Trial by Jury" is impossible of out
landers by outlanders, as is fact il
; this country, or any other country. Tn
Beers were their jurors, and as men Q
! integrity and sense of right, will com
pare favorably with any other jurors il
the world.
. "Education:" You say no English
taught in the Transvaal. The sam
occurs in Natal where no Dutch i
, taught, though the Dutch predominant
in that English possession. English i