New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-10-28
THE TROUBLES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

If one keeps this thought in mind
he will have the beginning and the
cause of the intensely interesting
conflict in South Africa. The South
African Republic, the President of
which is the redoubtable Dom Paul
Kruger. has an area of 113,G42
square miles, and population
variously estimated at from 400, 900
to 100000. The great majority of
these are blacks. Over 12O, 900 are
Dutch, who rule the country. and
there are about 10000 Englishmen
and Americans, called Outlanders,
or foreigners, who are working the
mines, managing the enterprises,
and getting most of the wealth that
is left after the Beers exact what
they can in the way of oppressive
taxes. Between the Dutch and the
British is an inherited animosity
coming from the wars between
Holland and England centuries ago.
Ever since the Dutch settled in
South Africa the feeling has in
creased.
When England went to the Dark
Continent the Dutch settlers kept
moving northward in order to get
out of their reach Finally they
passed beyond the Vaal River,
hence the name Transvaal. There
the Beers set up their own Govern
ment, and in 1852 were recognized
as independent. Great Britain,
however, got closer, and in 1877 it
annexed the country, making the
protection Of the Beers from the
Zulus the excuse. In 1880 the Beers
rebelled from this domination, and
the revolt eliminated in the battle
of Majuba Hill, February q, 1881,
in which the victory of the Beers
was complete. Gladstone and the
Liberal ministry had not the hardi-
hood to continue the war, and Great
Britain acknowledged the indepen-
dence of the South African Re-
public, except as to its foreign
affairs.
Since then the events belong to
current history of the times. The
Beers have increased the exactions
upon the Englishmen and Ameri-
cans who have been developing
the country, and have made it so
that the men who control the pro-
perty and the wealth have very
little to do with the Government,
because the laws Of citizenship
keep a foreigner waiting seven
years before he can vote. It is the
conflict between the bright, pro-
gressive, educated Anglo-Saxons
and the stolid, honest, determined
Dutch farmers, who have suffered
wrongs and who see in the British
plans their own downfall.
A curious contrast has been
drawn. Sixty years ago the Dutch
in caravans moved from the Eng
lish. It was known as the "Great
Trek. /" This year the English
women and children have been
fleeing from the Transvaal because
they feared the Beers.
There seems to be no reasonable
doubt that eventually, in some way
or other, the country Of the Beers
will be brought under the British
flag. Mr.. Chamberlain, the con-
structive genius Of the present Gov
ernment, is determined that it shall
be done, and troops are being hur-
ried to Africa. This is the policy
of absorption, but it by no means
gets the approval Of all the English
people. Right Honorable John
Morley, the greatest Of the Liberals,
in a public speech declared: "There
could not be more insane attempt
at human folly than war that
would bring added burdens. We
do not wish to be pirate Empire,
and war with the Transvaal would
mean deep dishonor.
In standing SO long against such
overpowering odds, Presid g n t
Kruger, with all his brusqueness,
has shown himself to be historical
character and, while the Beers
will probably lose the game in the
end, there must always be admira.
ton for their sturdy resistance.
The Americans in the Transvaal
have done what they could to in
volve this country, but the Govern
ment at Washington shows no in
clination to get mixed up in the
troubles.
The stakes are worth millions.
If the Outlanders, backed by the
British Government, win they will
soon control the Government, as
they can outvote the limited num-
Der of Beers who are allowed the
franchise, and, with Great Britain's
suzerainty admitted, the Transvaal
will become a British dependency.