Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-06
The Situation in the TransvaaI.

The crisis between the Beers who
control the government Of the South
African Republic, and the English gov
eminent has reached such a critical
state during the past few weeks that
the attention Of the civilized world has
been specially directed TO this quarter
of the globe. While the newspapers
have had considerable to say about the
progress of the differences between the
two governments. and while few
the one side and the other, it is doubt
less true that the great mass of our
people have not had a very clear idea
of the points at issue. At the same
time American sympathies have I'M
questionably been from the first with
the English government, partly through
kinshlp Of race-for it is certainly true
that blood is thicker than water-and
partly from the very general impress
sion prevailing in this country that the
Beers are pig-headed, unsociable
race. by no means gifted with mental
endowments.
The last Sunday issue of the Boston
Herald, in an exhaustive and well writ
ten article of some length, presents the
most succinct and comprehensive
statement of the facts leading up TO
the present situation that has yet
come to our attention. We regret that
we have not the space to republish it in
full, but a resume of the facts it pre-
sents can scarcely fail to be of inter
est and value in connection with cur
rent events in the South African re-
public.
The area owned by Great Britain in
Southern Africa comprises Cape Col
ony, Natal, Rhodesia, Bechuanaland
Zambesia and Zululand. The Trans
vaal or South African republic Cthe
names are interchangeable is bounded
on the north, south and west by one or
more of these British possessions. and
L
and Zululand. Its area is ,139 square
miles. but a trifie larger than our state
of Nevada. Its present population is
roughly estimated at 1000, 600, of whom
only aboln 100000 are whites. the re
mainder being chiefly KafIirs. Barely
a third of the whites are Beers, or peo-
pie of Dutch descent. There are some
10000 Germans. some 10000 Americans.
a few hundred Russian Hebrews, a
race under heaven, and about 100000
people of British birth or descent
1t will appear from these figures that
the name Republic" as applied to the
Transvaal is a misnomer. The coun-
try is actually ruled by an oligarchy
which through laws enacted by them
selves for the perpetuation of their own
power have been thus far successful in
debarring a considerable portion of the
taxpayers from any participation.
Americans will readily appreciate what
an intolerable oppression this must
necessarily constitute to men of Anglo
Saxon origin.
Undoubtedly the Dutch Beers who
pushed out originally into the then will
derness of the Transvaal, and founded
there nation after years of toll and
hardship and almost unceasing warfare
with the savage Kaffirs, one of the
most warlike tribes of Africa, felt that
the control of the land thus wrested
from the wilderness and barbarism
would forever be owned and controlled
by their posterity. Such might, pos
sibly. have been the case had not the
discovery of gold in the Transvaal in
1884 operated to radically change the
character of its population. The Beers
are essentially pastoral people and
hence failed to take advantage of this
new source of wealth. Hence it's de-
vclopment fell to foreign labor and
capital. johannesburg. the great CEN
ire of gold mining in the South African
republic. was founded in 1856. The con
glomerate beds of the Witwatersand
river, in the valley of the Randi, have
since then produced over 10000, 900
ounces of gold, worth over $125 900, 900
while it is credfbly estimated that some
000,000,000 worth still remains to be
extracted.
AS result of the discovery of gold
the immigration to the Transvaal in
creased very largely. All of these new
corners the Beers designated as Tit
landers Cor Outlanders) and such they
have since continued to regard them
and their children. At first the slow
thinking Beers regarded this influx of
population with favor believing that it
would not be permanent in it's charac-
ter, and seeing in it, a substantial
source of profit for themselves. But it
soon became evident that the immi-
grants who came in the wake of the
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