The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
The Readers Pen
Scratches Out Some Views
for the Wichita Eagle.
Defense of Engsand's Anti BOer War.
Wichita. Nov. 1S

comments of American newspapers upon
the South African situation Almost with
out exception, the course of England is
condemned, while the course of the Beers
is espoused. have taken occasion to
study the history of the Beers and their
relation to the territory which they occu-
py and claim. My sympathies were at
first with the weaker power, as against
England, but if my reading has given
me the facts, I am inclined to think that
the onward march of civilization re-
quires that England give to the people of
the Transvaa1 a form Of government bet
ter adapted to the promotion of a higher
civilization than that now existing in
that country.
Early in the present century the Eng
lish in possession of Cape Colony pursued
a liberal course toward the natives, Civ
ing them opportunity to acquire property
and to establish the institutions of civili-
cation The Beers were principally de
scendents of the early Dutch settlers and
they opposed the liberality Of the Eng
lish toward the native blacks.
With the hope of forming a government
in which the natives should have no
voice and no chance for Improvement, the
Beers in large numbers removed to the
northward into the land of the Zulus.
The Beers destroyed the Zulu govern
ment and occupied their territory. This
occurred some sixty years ago. The Beers
enacted various laws inimical to the ma
tives who still remained, one being the
-
system of slavery; another, an enactment
stating that 1.-The people will admit of no
equality Of persons of color with the
white inhabitants either in state or
church" This latter law was enlarged
in practice to include British traders,
missionaries and others not Beers. After
a time the Zulus rebelIed and so fierce
became the Instruction that the Beers
asked the Intervention Of England and
accepted British protectorate or suzer-
ainty. Quiet was at once restored and
vast numbers of Englishmen went into
the country. Agricultural ard mining op-
erations fiourished
England3 having confidence in the prom
Uses of the Beers to modify their OPP
dictate the internal management of the
Boer government, but she did insist on
supervising the foreign relations Of the
Beers; that as to say, the Beers could
make no treaty or hold other relations
with a foreign power without the con-
sent Of England.
Matters progressed with reasonable sat
isfaction for some years. But for the
past few years the Beers have re-enact-
ed. in practice at least, their oppressive
measures of former times. The British
inhabitants demanded more equality
more justice than they were receiving.
England asked the Boer government to
grant the demand. This she had a right
10 do in the protection of her own sub
jects, and also because Of the benefits
that had come to the Beers under Eng
1ish suzerainty. The Beers refused the
request and forthwith demanded that
England withdraw her troops from near
the border of the Transvaal. The Beers
also threatened the ejectment Of all Brit
ISL subjects in the event of Englands in
si=tence.
Now, what was England to do? The
answer is manifest. She must protect her
subjects in the Transvaal, at whatever
hazard.
There is a sickly sentmentalism too
prevalent in our own country. People
are prone to jump to a conclusion with
out taking the steps necessary to form
a just conclusion. They permit their
feelings to predominant their Judgment
in the first place the Beers stole the
country which they occupy, hence their
tile is clouded, TO say the least. In the
second place, the Beers are an uncouth,
rough and low-civilized people. In the
third place, If England should annex the
Transvaal to her other South African
possessions, is there an intelligent Ameri-
ran newspaper man or other Boer sympa-
taizer in this country who will say that
In twenty-five years the civilization Of
the Trausvaal will not be vastly improv-
ed? Look at the colonial possessions Of
England the world over Education,
Christianity, agriculture. commerce and
peace have supplanted paganiSm, crude
methods of living and bloodshed among
petty tribes. We. ourselves. are working
toward the same end in the Philippines.
The main difference being that the Fill
pinos have a far better right TO their ter
ritory than have the Beers.
1t becomes US who claim to represent
n desirable stage Of civilization to encour-
age the lifting up of the people of other
lands until they may enjoy what we en-
JOY. Some benevolently inclined people
admit that England will give a better
government to the Beers and that the
Filipiuos will be better eff under the
United States than under their fact!onaI
and tribal relations. but they deprecate
the means used to reach this better
state
However great an evil war NAV work
to individuals. let ne ask if the sword
has not Invariably preceded the bless
ings Of civilization. The fttest-which
means the best-must survive The logic
OF history is invincihle. Emerson thus
APPLY covers both the Transvaal and the
Philippine problems: THE lesson of life
IS. practically. to generalize. To believe
what the years and the centuries say
against the hours; 70 resist the usurna-
Sion of particulars. Things seem TO saw
one thing, and say the reverse. The an
pearance IS immoral; the result is moral.
Things seem 10 tend downward: vet. bv
SnaVes as by martyrs. the just cause IS
carried forward. Although knaves win
in political struggle and society. seems
handed over from one set Of criminals to
another whenever government changes
hands, Yet general GOOD ends are some
how answered. We see now events f,r,s,
''r"ard which seem TO retard the civil
i1y or ages, But the world-spirit is
good swimmer. and storms and waves
cannot drown him He snans hi O..