The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-26

The situation in South Africa, involv-
ing the English and the South African
Republic, is the result of a quarrel OF
long standing
In order to get a fair understanding
of the situation it is necessary to know
the history of the Beers As IS Wen
known, they We're orlglnalty f1o!lsaliL !I1- ~
ers, who emigrated to South Africa IN
the middle of the seventh century
They settled in what is now Cape COL
Ony.
The original Dutch settlers had little
trouble with the negroes. When the
Cape Colony went over to the EnSllSh
in 1906 it did not grow much From the
moment the English Government tooh
possession of the South African colony
there was a quarrel between it and the
old settlers, many of whom We're
hanged and shot.
Finding it impossible to agree with
the English Government, the larger
part of the Dutch colOnistS left their
homes, their finely cultivated farms,
the dear graves of their fathers and
mothers and moved further north,
where the Englishman had not yet set
his foot. Hardly had the colonlsts left
their homes and cultivated enough land
to feed themselves and their children
when the Englishman came. He looked
about and said: This is a good coun-
try, indeed" Thereupon they cut
branches from a high tree, tied upon
the Beers the English collar and de-
clared that the farmers should pay
taxes, partly in money, partly in cattle,
The old Beers came together again
1t seems that we are again under the
English collar" they said. TT seems
that there is plenty of land to the
North. Let US seek it
But others held back and the Beers
underwent several years of suffering
before their condition became so un-
bearable they again left everything be-
hind them and sought new homes
where they could be free. They found
a fair land and settled upon it, far
a ,rrTT ~
with the wild beasts. They were so
poor they wore no more clothing than
did the natives, and their children went
naked But they were happy and at
peace.
Again the English descended upon
them, and finding it a good country
made new boundary line to include
It. 1t was the same story over again.
The Beers felt that they were perse-
cuted and there was constant quarrel
ing Again it was decided to journey
onward. 1t was decided that this time
they would make such g, track over the
high mountains that the English could
never follow them, and indeed they
never did. But they reached them for
all that.
The Beers journeyed for four years.
spent in fighting, climbing and terrible
suffering, coming at last upon the fair
est land in South Africa, its paradise
what is now called Natal. But not one
in ten of those who started ever
reached Natal. For a long time the pill
SrlT1S uVed IN peace ana comfort. They
felt secure because they were sure no
Englishmen would follow them over the
mountains.
But Natal had a seaport, and one day
a small schooner arrived. The captain
soon found out about the beauty and
richness of the new country. The Eng
lish Government heard about it, and
soon two men-Of-war arrived at Port
Natal.
A HARD STRUGGLE.
The Beers fought hard to keep their
old enemy outside, bat they had neither
sufficient arms nor men. Yet they
made a gallant struggle before they
surrendered. For a long time the Beers
remained in Natal under English rule
they thought they had reached the end
of Africa and there was no other place