The Irish standard., 1899-05-13
THE BOERS AND THE BRITISH.

There is every indication that deadly
struggle for supremacy in South Africa
between the British and the Beers may
occur at any moment. Dom Paul, the
intrepid ruler of the Dutch republic, will
not be intimidated by the threats of Joe
Chamberlain, the secretary Of the Brit
ish colonies, and the latter seems to
realize the fact. British troops to the
number of 5000 have been landed in the
dark continent, and President Kruger
knows that they have come for hostile
purposes. Instead of exhibiting any
trepidation from their presence, the
doughty Dutchman is preparing to re-
ceive them with his usual hospitality.
He will have his hands full, however,
for the Uitlanders alone outnumber the
Beers by some $4,000, and when the war
begins he will have to keep them under
military control
The English are determined to con-
quer the Beers, and they ultimately will
if no European power does not interfere
in their behalf. They are hard foes for
the British to tackle, but they will be
overpowered by superior numbers with
modern engines of war. The British
tried to conquer them before but got
whipped, and they were obliged to rec
ognize the independence OF the Trans
vaal republic. After the war the Eng
fish crowded into the country in search
of gold, until at the present time there
are $1,000 adventures there to $1,000
Beers. The latter are pastoral people
and do not engage in mining, but they
tax that industry for the support of the
government. The English residents OBJ
ject to being taxed when they cannot
vote.
Suffrage is limited to white male cit
liens and their descendants who lived
in the republic prior to May 20, 1876,
or who took part in the war for indie
pendence in 1881. Aliens may become
naturalized after two years residence,
but are not admitted to suffrage until
after completing residence Of twelve
years, and even then their application
for citizenship may be rejected by the
Volksraad. Sons OF aliens must be
registered when IS years old, may be-
come naturalized at the age of IS, but
are not admitted to the rights of first
class burghers until they are 40 years
old.
The English also object to the school
system of the Beers. Their children are
only permitted to study in their native
tongue and only in the lowest primary
grades, while they must study only
Dutch in the middle and higher grades
They complain OF being exorbtantly
taxed for such education, but have no
redress. They have no political rights
and no voice in the expenditure of their
contributions to the treasury. Under
these circumstances they have recently
called upon the British government to
release them from the yoke of the Beers,
and their appeal will not be in vain if
Joe Chamberlain can have his way with
the Salisbury government.
The Transvaal is rich in gold, silver,
copper and lead, and coal and iron
abound in inexhaustible quantities. That
is sufficient inducement for the British
to pick a quarrel with the Beers
They want possession OF the entire coun-
try to run it to suit themselves and
make the Beers hewers of wood and
drawers of water. We fear they will
eventually succeed, but before they do
so many OF the Queens soldiers will be
sent to kingdom come by unerring shots
from Boer rifles. But then soldiers are
cheap and can be had any day for