The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
Tho Union of tho Orange FREQ State
and the Transvaa1.

mo VI tuo of"phO wv
and the Transvaal.
The resolution passed by the Volksraad
at Bloemfontein, whilo expressing wish ,
for the maintenance OF peace, evidently
commits the Orange Free State to coopera-
ton with the Transvaal In tho event OF
war Unconfrmed, however. as yet is the !
interesting report that the political fusion
OF the two Boer republics is contemplated.
Such a move would offer simple and COM
plete solution Of the South African problem.
for the Beers having more than doubled
their numbers by the process OF annexation.
might, without fear Of being outvoted,
make all the concessions demanded by
England for the Outlanders, while, at the
same time, the last vestiGe OF q reasonable
basis for Englands claim OF suzerainty
would disappear
No one has ever denied that the common
wealth, the full and official name Of which
Is the Orange River Free State, acquired
absolute independence by the Convention
entered into on Feb. %, 1854. By that
agreement, the British Government for
mally renowned the sovereignty which 1t
had asserted four years before, and released
from their allegiance to the British Crown
the Beers who had migrated from tho Cape
Colony to the region north Of the Orange
River But, 1t may be said, though Eng
land has no title to control the Orange
Free State in any way, she might, as
the suzeraln power, object to the incor-
poraton Of her vassal State, the Trans
vaal, with an Independent commonwealth.
As matter of fact, she seems to have for
4 a 10 IL % ;,,ta NHt
ton, for, by the fourth article OF the Con-
vention concluded with the Transvaal in
1884. the Orange Free State Is expressly
excepted from the list Of powers or COM
munities with which the South African
Republic Ia forbidden to make treaties
without England's consent. The exception
plainly countenances the most Intimate
relations, II not actual political union.
between the two Boer commonwealth.
AS we have formerly pointed out. the
Beers Of the Orange Free State are more
numerous than those Of the Transvaal. In
1880 there were more than sixty thousand
Of the former, while at the same date the
latter did not number more than fifty
thousand. There Is no reason to doubt
that the rate OF growth by natural increase
| is the same in both communities. But,
since 1885. when the gold mines OF the
Rand began to be worked. there has
| been great flow Of white immi-
grants into the South African Republic.
Even though. however. the franchise should
be granted to all adult male white immi-
| grants, they would be outvoted easily by
| the Beers Of the Transvaal and the Orange
| River Free State combined. II the Volks-
raad which meets at Pretoria and that
which meets at Bloemfontein were to be
fused In a single assembly. 1t would be
practicable to give the Outlanders a num-
Der OF seats proportionate to their popula-
ton, that is to say, considerably more than
Sir ALFRED MILNER asked for.
No gold mines have been found in the
| Orange Free State, and, although diamonds
are met with at Jagersfontein and else
where in the drift deposits along some river
BEDS no such quantities OF these precious
stones arc extracted as have been yielded
by the diamond fields OF Griqualand West.
The older Boer commonwealth would, there
fore, have much to gain by the annexation
OF the Transvaal, since it would share the
large revenues derived from taxation In the
gold-mining district. A natural reluctance
to part with any Of this revenue, much of
which has been used to strengthen and
embellsh Pretoria, may tend to make the
Beers OF the Transvaal unwilling to re-
nounce their separate political existence,
but they must recognize that annexation
to the Orange Free State is an alternative
vastly preferable to war with Great Britain,
which, even though they should achieve
some successes at the outset, can DO ex-
pected to end only in one way.
There never has been franchise question
in the Orange Free State because the mum
Der of white inhabitants not of Dutch ex
traction is comparatively small. Its citi
zens sympathize nevertheless, with the
desire OF their Boer kinsmcn in the Trans
vaal to take precautions against being
outvoted by the Outlandcrs, and they
hold that, under tho terms OF the Con
yention OF 1854, England has no right t.
dictate tho conditions OF naturalization
in the South African Republic. Should
England have recourse to force in ordel
to carry out such Interference, tn,
burghers OF the Orange Free State will
side with their fellow Beers They do no
want war, however and, as it might b'
averted by the annexation OF the Trans
! vaal, they would favor such move, coup
led with such liberal concessions to tn,
white emigrants in the Rand district al
would leave them no just ground for com
, plant. Thus far, the course pursued b!
, the authorities at BlOemfontein seems t,
! have been temperate and prudent. though
they have made it perfectly clear that al
! attempt to coerce the Transyaal will NEE