The times., 1899-10-14

Cochran insisted that the franchise was a
matter which is so exclusively within the
power and prerogatives of State that no
ore outside of it has any right to question
its action in respect of the same. AS TO
unfranchised people within one, he de-
elared that, if the Outlanders were worth
citizenship, they would take up arms
against Great Britain: THE man who ssts
himself up against the State in which he
resides is an enemy. Hostility by the
stranger makes him an enemy. Hostility
from a citizen is treason"
According to the Cochran reasoning, the
sixty thousand Beers in the South African
Republic, eorporately constituting the
State, have an indefeasible right forever 10
refuse the franchise TO the one hundred
and sixty thousand non-BOer inhabitants
OF the country The latter are estopped
from complaining that they are denied rep
resentation in the Legislature, or even basic
civil rights. Those are matters belonging
TO the State and are too sacred TO be cues
toned The fact that the 0utlanders own
seven-tenths of the property and contrib
ute nine-tenths of the public revenues does
not entitle them TO demand citizenship or
representation in a sister republic"
In such connections it has been the prac-
tice in this country 10 consider that the
right to representation by the taxed was
settled by the American Revolution. Our
colonial ancestors were 10 some extent,
though not as deplorably, in the condition
OF the witwatersrand American and Eng
lish residents They had civil rights and
a certain voice in their local government,
but they were subjected TO imperial taxa
tion, and consequently demanded repre-
sentation in the imperial Parliament. They
revoited and gained their independence.
They would have done the same If they had
been in the position of the outianders, ana
with vastly greater reason. Suppose, in
stead Of the stamp and tea taxes, the Amer
lean colonies had been compelled TO pay not
only the expenses of their local govern
ment but had been also forced to pay the
entire cost of the British naval and mill
tary establishments on this continent; had
been denied the right 10 participate in their
own colonial or municipal government;
had been forced to submit TO the control
and administration of Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, and all
other American towns by aldermen sent
over from England, had been denied the
privilege of having their native language
taught to their children; had been denied
the right TO sit on juries, and had been
placed at the mercy of courts whose only
rying out orders passed at the will or
whim Of the Privy Council in London. Then
they would have been in position prae-
ticaIly idertieal with that of the outlanders
today.
Yet we glorify cur fathers for making
war on Great Britain in righteous resent
ment Of the stamp tax and the tea tax;
but condemn Americans and their Anglo
Saxon brethren in the Transvaal for ask
ing the suzerain power to intervene that
they may be accorded the commonest
rights Of civilized men. If the Outlanders
are wrong in asking imperial interference,
justified legally by the engagements of the
Beers when their internal independence
was recognized, then in accordance with
the Cochran and Pulitzer standard the
American revoIutionists were ingrates and
traitors But ordinary people, who believe
that the doctrine Of no taxation without
representation" is just and incontro-
vertible one. win extend their sympathy TO
the oppressed and not to the oppreesor,
Just the same, and viii continue to think
that Washington, Jefferson. Adams, Frank
lin, Lee. and their associates were right,
even as the outraged and abused outland-
ers are right-and as England is right in
going TO their succor.