New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-20
NEW-YORK IND CAPE COLONY.

A correspondent whose letter we print else
where in this mornings paper bases his sympa-
thy with the Beers in their conflict with Great
Britain upon a certain parallel between cape
Colony and the State of New-York. 1t Is quite
true. as he reminds us, that each was settled by
the Dutch; that in each the Dutch had trouble
with the aborigines and that in each there was
n revolt against British disagreement. But
what does that prove? We can perceive in 1t no
significant application 10 the present case. What
is needed is to carry the parallel little further.
II will then be historically more complete and
logically more convincing. Thus 1t is to be re-
called that each was seized by the British, re-
gained by the Dutch and again taken by the
British and permanently made part Of the
English speaking world. 1t must not escape
notice that in each the British "Outlanders'
were themselves as earnest and energetic as the
Dutch in protesting against British misrule and
in securing self-gOvernment Our correspondent
himself gives Washington credit for leading the
Dutch of New-York to independence, and surely
Washington was of purest British blood-an
"Outlander'' to the Dutchmen Of that day just
as much as was Sir Benjamin Durham or Sir
Harry Smith or Sir George Grey to the Cape
Dutchmen of the next generation. And in each
case the result was the establishment of a self
governing republic. with equal rights for Dutch
and British
We may carry the parallel further than that
We may say that the real prosperity and great
ness of each Of the two States date from It's
adoption of Anglo-Saxon civilization and its in
c operation into a union of English speaking
commonwealth. Does our correspondent sup
pose that Newly ork would have attained It's
present greatness if ii had remained New-Am-
sterdam or New-Orange or New-HOlland, and
had held itself politically aloof from the other
Colonies-or States, as they subsequently be
came-and had forbidden the use Of the English
language. and had restricted To this day its citi-
Zcnshlp TO men Of Dutch blood Dutch speech
and membership in the Dutch Church? With all
possible respect for the virtues Of the good old
KnickerbOcker stock, which no one esteems
more highly than does The Tribune, we cannot
believe that II would Neither can we believe
that Cape Colony. as an exclusively Dutch
colony, would have attained the prosperity IL
enjoys to-day, under free republican lnstitu-
tons, with an open door TO all the world and
equal rights for all men,
Such, we apprehend, is the true parallel be-
tween New-York and Cape Colony 1t seems 10
us an instructive and suggestive one And the
moral Of II seems 10 be that the ambitious
scheme Of Presidents KRUGER and Steyn TO drive
the British out Of all South Africa and establish
there Boer federation, in which British and
American settlers should be prescribed. was not
wisely conceived for the good OF South Africa or
for the good of even the Beers themselves Our
American Revolution was not intended 10 drive
out the British or TO prescribe them and II did
not do II was intended TO establish self
government with equal rights for all men.
PATRONS and Puritans alike and 1t did So The
revolution which is needed for the welfare Of
South Africa Is one that will similarly establish
equal rights there for all men. in the Transvaal
as well as In Natal and Cape Colony And that