The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-20
William T. Stead Tells of the
TransYaaI Trouble.
Enlfghtens the Public on Eng
lands Status
IN THE BOER COUNTRY
Relates Why Great Britain De-
sires the Territory.
A Lucid History of the Present
Struggle

william T Stead in n. z. Journal
We have no right to slaughter the
Beers because We cannot persuade
them to adopt our way of thinking as
TO the manner in which they should re-
form their electoral laws. We have no
right to enforce a policy of reform by
the practice of murder.
The public mind has been confused to
such an extent that can probably not
do better service than to make the
story Of the Transvaal trouble as plain
and as simple as possible. throw the
whole matter into the form of a catech-
ism, and embody the facts in the shape
of question and answer, with the spec
ial object of bringing into clear relleL
the reasons why the Beers are d1StruSl-
full of our good faith in this matter.
Q. What is the characteristic or our
dealings with the BOers2
A. Blundering stupidity, y,slovenly mis-
management. imbeCile inconsistency
and continuous bad faith.
O Have we ever done the Beers one
good turn in our Hves2
A Perhaps once, when We annexed
their country to save them from CeIe-
wayO, rescuins them from danger
they did not appreciate at a cost which
they bitterly resented.
q. What i'll turns have we done them?
A. We drove them into the wilder
ness by cOnfscatinE their slaves and
suppressing their liberties; we made
war upon them in Natal in 1910, in the
Orange Free State in 1S4S: we put a
price upon the head of their president
in 1850; we annexed their country in
1871: made war uDon them in 1881;
raided them in 1896, and are now at
war again in 1899
@. What is the chief Importance of
South Africa to the empire2
A. South Africa is the keystone Of the
imperial arch If Cape Town and 81
mons Bay were in the hands of a hos
tile power communication would be cut
Australia. excepting through the SueZ
Canal SimOn's Bay is Indispensable
as a coaling station and a place Of call
on the ocean highway between Great
Britain and the Andpodes.
Q. How did the Beers come into the
Transvaal?
A. They trekked northward in order
TO escape from British rule and in or
der that they might be able to live
their own lives in their own way.
Q. When did this exodus take place?
A In the year 1885. The Beers, traV-
cling nOrthward, settled in the territory
which is now the Orange Free State.
Others went into Natal and founded
the government of Natalia. A third
section crossed the Vaal river and set
tied in the territory which is now
known as the South Africa Republic.
Q. When did the first collision take
ish2
a. About 1910 The Beers having es-
tablished the Republic of Natalia, in
cut off from the sea by the occupation
of Durham When they refused to aban-
don their republic they We're attacked
10y a British force, and in 1874 Natal
was annexed to the Cape Colony.
Q. Who are the Outlanders?
A The Ouuanders are simply people
from outside the TransvaaI who have
been attracted to the country in the
hope of making fortunes by the discov-
cry of the gold mines.
Q. What were the grievances of the
Outlanders2
a. The grievances of the Outlanders
were in chief that they were taxed
without any representation in the
Nolksraad; that they were governed
by men who had no practical acquaint-
ance with the needs of a modern indus
trial community, and whose one idea
was to govern Johannes burg on princi-
pies deduced from the Book Of Levitt
Gus.
Q. What was done toward redressing
these grievances of the Outlanders?
A As soon as Mr.. Rhodes decided
on action, in 1894, he sent a trusted
agent to England with instructions to
anIOrm Mr. Chamberlain that the situa-
t1on had become acute, and to ask per
mission to take over and control Bech-
uanaland in order that he might be
able to have a jumping-off place from
which to support the anticipated insur-
1ecrion in the TranVaal with the armed
force with which ultima tely the raid
was made.
Q. Was this request granted?
A. Not Immediately; but after renew
ed and more urgent representations the
jumping off place was made over on
some pretext of railway construction.
and the control Of the police made over
TO Mr.. Rhodes. who wanted them to
support the insurrectiOn
In the foregoing catechism the salient
Facts Of the situation are set forth They
bring out, I hope with clearness nd
precision that in our dealings with the
Beers in the past We have much to be
ashamed of, and that we have given
them ample cause to regard our profess
Eions with suspicion and our assuran-
ces with distrust
The Beers. with Mr.. Kruger at their
nead, nave abandoned themselves to
the delusions which iured the Khalifa
and the Mahdists to their ruin. Alas!