The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-22
GRIEVANCES OF OUTLANDERS.
NOT WILLING TO MEET DEMANDS
OF THE TRANsvAAL.
Foreigners Want to Control the
Government and to Compel the
Beers to Pay Taxes.

New York, August 2l.---J. w. Reagan,
expert mining engineer, who for the
past year and half has been making a
careful study of the mines and geological
condition of the Transvaal, is In the city.
The prospect OF war with England MIR.
Reagan says, at the time he left johann
nesburg a few weeks ago was, according
to the native Beers, very slight. 1t was
expected by them that compromise would
be reached A foreign element, however,
earnestly hoped that IT would come, for
in it they see future prosperity.
american sympathy may be naturally
with the young republic" said Mr.. Reagan,
but republic as applied to the Trans
vaal is a misnomer."
Chief Justice Kotze, recently deposed,
told Dom Paul when asked about certain
matter that it was unconstitutional
wheraupon Dom Paul promptly cut off his
official head and placed OH the bench an
innocent old individual named Gregerors-
ky, whose idea of the proper administra-
ton of justice was to be in line with the
president. With the departure of kotze
there departed all hope for justice for the
Uitlander.
There are three questions that engage
diplomatic attention--that of the franchise,
probably the most importan.; the question
of dynamite and the railways.
Until quite recently a man to hold Of
flee must have resided in the Transvaal
for fourteen years and to be at the same
time member of the Dutcn church The
outlanders, who have created the wealth
of the republic, are paying 80 per cent
of the taxes and are practically without
representation. The outlanders -inope for
reform through the franchise In the
presidential election in the W!twaters
rand, in which the census shows Il white
population of about $4,000. the returns
showed but 1880 votes cast. In regard
to dynamite, it has been the policy OF the
government to grant exclusive franchise
to Holland and German syndicate to
make dynamite, importation being illegal.
They demand for 1t 10 shillngs case.
An American firm offered to lay it down
in the Transvaal i'll unlimited quantities
at 45 shillings case of fifty pounds. The
mining industry uses aboui 400, 900 cases
annually. That means a loss of SO 600, 600
to the miners. The Netherlands company
holds the exclusive right to build and
construct railroads and can fix its own
rates. They charge IL to - cents mile
per ton for freight The haul from YER
about thirty to forty miles, is more ex-
pensive than the freight rates from Chi
cago to New York, about 900 miles.
There are about $4,000 blacks there.
They walk from 800 to 500 miles to reach
the mines. They are forced to purchase
a kind OF badge or dog collar and wear it,
in addition to paying the government fifty
cents month. If they lose the dog col
lar or fail to pay the monthly tax they are
usually given fifteen lashes and.imprisoned
couple of months. The lash is called
sjambok' -pronounced shambuk - and
there is no mule whip made half so Sc
we're.
The gold finds in the Transvaal are
not found in rich quantitieh, as it is
thought. but their value lies in the great
quartity of low grade, free milling ore
with an average of 5000 per ton; the
cost of production IS about S. per ton.
Capital is at present wary, but II England
succeeds in getting the reforms the big
rushes to the gold fields of California OF
lS49 and to Colorado later will be nothing
in comparison So sure are the present
Miners of the output that in England those
who have control of the trust money ana
estates are investing them.
although the Beers do not anticipate
war yet while on my way home spent
several weeks in England and from what |
could learn there active preparations are
being made for war with the Transvaai.
II is the universal opinion of those best
posted and those having at heart the best
wishes for the ultimate success OF the
Transyaal as republic that nothing short
of war with England will remedy the Sit
uation."