The Somerset reporter., 1899-09-21
Great Britain aud Tran svaal.


War appears to he imminent between
England and the Transvaal, the Sou h
African republic preeided over by Paul
Kruger, but the necessity OF such a
grave condition is not apparent to the
casual observer, and the benefit, If any
results from that war. must he secured
after the fighting By diplomacy.
There does not seem to be sufficient
difference between the colonies of Eng
land on the one side aud the Transvaal
on the other to Justify that awful alter
native, war. England claims the right
of suzerainty over the Transvaal. The
Uitlanders, over 80 per cent of whom are
Ensli speaking people, outnumber the
Beers two to one. They own more than
half the land, pay nine-tenths of the
taxes, and the prosperity and develop
ment of this leading gold producing
country of the world is due to the en-
ergy of the English speaking race.
They have no representation in the
government, are oppressed by on
orous taxation and hampered by monop-
olies. excessive freight charges and
increased expenses, with not much pros
peet of Improvement in these particulars.
On the other hand the Beers, more
than so years ago. escaped from Cape
Colony to avoid British rule and found
ed republic of their own beyond the
Vaal. Great Britain annexed the state
In the seventies under the promise of
self-government. These promises were
being delayed and the Beers took up
arms to enforce them, and won their
independence. They are attached to
their land, fanatically so, and took alarm
at the stream of capitalists and stock
iobbers that the discovery of gold
brought upon them. To preserve the
government in their own hands they
excluded new settlers from political
rights. This was not effective. The
modern world closed in upon them and
they could not stem the tide
troversy for some % years and are
likely to be for some years whether war
intervenes or not.
The principal question at issue now
appears to be the length of time a for
eigner must reside in Transvaal before
he can have the right to vote, The
i 3 NJ ~,
that this period, which is now fourteen
years, should be cut down to five.
President Kruger agreed to this with
the proviso that the British should dis
claim for the future, suzerainty over the
republic. This proviso was unaecepta-
BILE to Mr.. Chamberlain who insisted on
the five years without any condition
whatever. Then President Kruger
waived the suzeranty provision provid-
ed Mr.. Chamberlain would accept seven
years instead of five. This Mr.. Cham
berlain would not agree TO, insisting
upon his original demand of five years
AS all the other demands of the British,
such as that relating to representation
in the Volksraad, were agreed to, the
principal difference between the two gov
ernments today relates to this difference
of two years in the naturalization period.
1t is generally believed that certain
clique in England have projects on foot
which would be advanced by the de-
struction of the Transvaal as an indie
pendent state, and hence looks with
favor upon conflict between the Beers
and the British, rightly assuming that
the result of it will be the wiping out Of
the Transvaal republic.
Mr.. Kruger's latest note to Mr.. Cham.
berlain Is to the effect that he holds to
the years. franchise, and while ardent
ly desiring arbitration, will submit TO
Englands former proposition for joint
commission of inquiry.