The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-10-27
THE SOUTH AFRICAN TROUBLE

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TROUBLE
The war in South Africa between
she B ritish and the Beers, which all
pe2ceIoving people had hoped might
T6e aVerted, will now be fought to a
ainish. The latest reports are that
Gen. Butler, the British commander
In South Africa, has been giving SUI
preme power, and he is credited with
a resolution to wipe out the last
Westige Of Beer power in South Africa.
4 There is no question but what there
lis much blame upon both sides. The
Beers are non-progressiYe and have
not allowed civilization to push itself
forward within their borders, while
ON the other hand British authorities
in South Africa have not always done
AS they ought. There is no doubt,
however, but that progressive gov
eminent in South Africa formed on
the lines of Canada or Australia,
would prove beneficial to that part of
the world. But the foundation OF the
present trouble is gold. AS a writer
in the current North American Re
yiew we'll says, if there were no gold
or diamond fields in South Africa,
1here would be no trouble there to-
C1sy.aRd the Beers would be undisturb-
ed in the possession of their fields.
But while England has the excuse for
and is fighting to right wrongs which
the Uitlanders are suffering, yet it
seems as though diplomacy might
have accomplished much for their re-
Ffef and the war been avoided. DR..
Shaw, the editor of the Review Of Re-
views, holds that the entire South
African trouble could have been salts
faotorily adjusted in the course of
time had proper diplomacy been used,
and scores Joseph Chamberlain for
allowing himself to be used by the
gold hunters. He says that the war
will only gain what would come to
Great Britain in the course of time,
and q comparatively short time, too,
and that England being great and
strong can also afford to be just. On
the other hand the New York Tribune
holds in its analysis of the war and it's
cause. that the British are justified
i'm their course, on the ground that
they are contending that British
subject, wherever he be, is entitled
TO British protection, and asks if that
was not what the United States was
lighting for in 1912. Further the
Tribune asks in relation to the state
uaent that Great Britain refused arbi-
gtration and insisted that the dispute
must be settled between her and the
sTE8nsVaal without alien Intervention,
if we would have accepted interven-
vtion in 1861? This, however, is con-
csiderably different, as we had never
sscZnow lodged or agreed to the indie
pend ence of the south, but it's ques-
gEion in relation to Mexico, is doubt
less we'll put, Still the Mexican
trouble is one that might have been
ssUcc essfully arbitrated, and doubtless
would in this age of the world.
The position of the Uitlanders, how
ever, is hard one. They protested
against taxation without representa-
Gion. They represent the go-ahead
spirit Of the Transvaal, yet were al
loved no part in its government, all
though they are greatly in the ma
3oEity. While the Transvaal is a re-
FpUblic in name. it is really narrow
and despotic oligarchy in fact, and
stands in the way of progress in that
portion of South Africa. A more en-
Heightened and liberal government will
probably result from the war, but it
looks as though 1t would be obtained
at fearful cost in bloodshed.
THE ANTS AT CHICAGO