The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-01
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.
Historical, Geographical and POliti-
c~al-Sympathy for the Beers.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
The Friends Church. commonly called
Quakers, ever since their organization, have
been opposed to war. as wrong in all times.
and on all occasions. The writer of this
article firmly believes that war could have
been avoided had not the English nation
and also the Beers done things far from
right. When the Peace Conference met at
The Hague in May of this year. c%ontinu-
ing two months and eleven Gays. there were
delegates present from twenty-six nations.
In the call made for the discussion of SUBJ
jects the third item was: AN argument for
the settlement of International differences
by international meditation and arbitra-
ton" One of the figures in the Hall of
Orange, where the delegates assembled
was the figure of Peace" carrying in each
hand an olive branch and standing in the
midst of a group OF children, who unroll
a great scroll Inscribed: The Greatest Vic
tory is That Which Leads to Peace The
peaceful Christian world then thought there
was a dawn coming, but one of the most
honored and greatest nations on the earth
connected with that conference, Great
Brittany, has been the first to break over the
bands. and be the main cause of one of the
bloodiest wars of modern times.
Let us look up the history. geography and
conditions Of the two republics in southern
Africa,vas also the causes of this Trans
vaal war, going back about one hundred
years. The Dutch from Holland settled
and occupied Cape Town and Cape Colony,
during the seventeenth and eighteenth CEN
turtles. In 1896 the British government took
forcible possession of that section, driving
the natives, and also the Beers "a Dutch
word meaning peasants) back first into the
Natal country, and then into the Orange
Free State. and next over the Vaal river
into the section now called South African
Republic or the Transvaal. The South
African Republic lies between the I'D and
2Sth degrees south Of the equator, and is
about 400 miles north and south; and be-
tween the 18th and SD degrees Of longitude
east Of Greenwich, England, or about 500
miles east and west. 1t contains about
l22,UO square miles. 1t consists of high
table lands on which grass grows abund-
antiy, IL is also mountainous and very hilly,
and the Beers being generally farmers, raise
large herds Of cattle and sheep. They are
a strong, active, sturdy and stubborn set OF
people; the men average 8 feet 2 inches in
height, and the women are tall and fair.
They are simple in their habits, are great
hunters and expert rifle shots. and use the
blacks which are very numerous, often in
a harsh and inhuman manner. They claim
to be religious, the Dutch Reformed Church
being the national religion, and they take
the Bible in its most literal sense. They do
not drink intoxicants. They marry early,
do not believe in divorce laws and are much
like a backwoodsman in our country 100
years ago. The climate Is of course much
warmer than ours, somewhat similar to
Central Mexico. Their warmest month is
February. and their coolest July.
The Orange Free State lies south of the
Transvaal and between the Orange and
Vaal rivers, and is about 260 miles long and
about loo wide. The soil is of a red clay
nature; vast plains in some sections and
hilly in the eastern part. 1t has diamond
mines of great value and about 1000
square miles OF territory and it's people are
similar to those of the Transvaal. Neither
OF these two small republics has any sea-
ports and no chance TO get to the Indian
ocean. except across lands belonging to
other nations. Great Britain owns all the
land south. west and north, and Portugal
owns a part of the eastern border of the
TranSvdal, and 1t will do whatever Eng
land wants done.
We find that the British. about 1872.
found themselves at war with the Kafflrs,
who were of q warlike disposition, and
these wars lasted at intervals up to 1850.
the British being successful and driving
not only the natives but the Beers back.
In 1894 slavery was abolished by the Brit
ish. and a proposition was made to pay the
colonists for their slaves. By the English
appraisers they were valued at $50. 1000 600;
but the owners received about 81. 500, 900 for
them. All claims were to be settled In
London and paid in Bank Of England
notes, which had to be disposed of at a
discount at the Cape.
Large numbers of Beers soon settled in
the Transvaal and, the President states,
they bought the land Of the natives. In
1852 the British at the Land river con-
vention'' gave absolute independence to the
Beers. and the Transvaal people became a
republic, governed by a president and
council. and two "Volksraaden'' of twenty
four member each. similar In some respects
to our House and Senate at Washington. The
Orange Free State, so named from the
Orange river, was made a republic In 1854.
and. somewhat similar to our country. as
to a president and two legislative bodies.
The President in both of these republics
has powers granted about equal to a king
or car.
In 1870 diamonds were discovered in a
section near Kimberley, which the Orange
Free State claimed. In ISL the British gov
eminent annexed that territory in spite of
the protests of the Free State. but after
wards paid something for ii. The claim
made by the Free State was about s 1000. 900.
and the amount received for its diamond
mines was about $3.50. 0O0. The British got
the best of the bargain. In 1877 the British
government annexed the Transvaal. and in
~1SS0-1SS1 the Beers revolted. and a war fol-
lowed, in which the British were defeated,
especially at the battle Of Majuba Hill. In
1854 the convention OF London granted the
Transvaal entire freedom. without "suZer-
ainty." In 1856 gold was discovered in the
Transvaal territory: great excitement fol-
lowed and the greed for gold caused thou
sands to rush for johannesburg and vicin-
fly. and hi city Of 1900 population in
1883 I'm August last was supposed to num-
Der at least 125.00 inhabitants.
In 1894 the British South African Com
pany. owned principally by Cecil Rhodes.
made an attempt TO overthrow the Trans
vaal government, but badly failed. and Mr..
Rhodes is intensely hated by all the Beers.
In 1865 and 1896 the Jameson raid against
the Transvaal took place: he was defeated.
and more intense bitterness aroused be-
tween the South African Beers and the
English nation.
In 1893 discussion began between Joseph
Chamberlain colonial secretary Of Great
Britain. and Paul Kruger. President of the
South African Repuhlic. The T~ansvaal gov
eminent had passed law recurring that the
"uitlanders." COMPOSED of foreigners. prin-
cipally English. German. American and
French people,. should remain nine years
as residents before voting. They were
more than twice as numerous as the ma
tive Beers. and this seemed harsh and un-
Just. Differences arising, the Beers.
through President Kruger. asked thai all
difficulties he submitted to imnartfal arbt-
tration. This proposal Mr.. Chamberlain
refused in October. 1saS. and soon after
raised the claim OF suZerafnty for the En-
glish Queen, and stated that new claims
were 10 be considered and no arbitration