The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-09

hunger and thirst and from attacks by
the savage natives they went into the un-
known interior. AT the Orange river the
trekkers. scapcely more than 5000 In num-
Der separated into two parties. one OF
which founded the Orange Free state;
the other. continuing further eastward.
founded Natal. Again the encroaching
English followed ana a majority Of the
Beers, once more fleeing. crossed the river
Vaal and entrenched themselves in their
present position In the Transvaal
The Transvaai Repubic-aiso called the
South African Republics bounded on
the North. South and West by one or the
other of the British possessions and on
the east by Portuguese East Africa and
Zuzuland so that Il has no outlet 20 the
sea. It's area is l39 square miles and
IT'S present population something ike n
million. OF whom about 10000 are whites.
the remainder being chiefly Kafiirs. or
the whites only n third are Beers or peo-
pie OF Dutch descent. There are some
twenty thousand Germans. some ten thou
sand Americans. the usual scattering OF
people OF indeterminate nationality and
approximately one hundred thousand peo-
pie of British birth or descent.
When the Beers first located In the
Transyaal they maintained for while
four rival states, but these were soon
merged into one republic and soon that
was unable 20 cope with the fierce and
bloodthirsty natives. from whom they were
frequently protected by British arms.
Yielding partly 90 need Of seif-p protection
and partly 10 a show of force by the Eng
lish the Beers at last consented 10 an
nexation with the British Empire, against
the protest of young Dom Paul Kruger.
and few other patriots. They rose IN
rebellion IN 1850, and. after the bloody VIC
tory Of Majuba HIN. succeeded again IN
establishing their independence. subject
10 the suzerainty Of Her Majesty"
It is the discovery of diamonds in the
Vaal river in 1867 and Of gold In the Trans
vaal In 1884 that has caused the influx OF
foreigners-called Uitlanders or outsiders.
At first these We're adventurers, singled
handed seekers of hidden wealth. gam
blers and their Ike. but later companies
backed by immense capital sent In their
engineers and experts 20 wrest from tho
earth its great riches I'm the most scien-
tlhc, economic and cold blooded way
IN this unenTable march Of progress
the Boer has remained q unique figure.
Ifo is a farmer pure and simple he will
not mine nor sell On any other way the
wealth for which the rest OF the world
IS scrambling He loves his home and the
who advocate 10. He loves peace. too
but circumstances have turned him into
most formidable foe. as his slow conquer
ors well know. Ills only lively, brightly
burning emotion is an intense patriotism
which makes him refuse TO trek once
moro IN advance of the ever moving FROM
tier OF British commerce.
So far the Boer has held the Internal
government In his own hands The TIT
anders. though now largely In the ma
ior!ty, have had no part I'm t. oven tho
right Of suffrage Us practically denied 10
all but the Beers. For a while suffrage
was granted to the Uitanders after resi-
dence OF five years. but later this was
changed SO that a Uiuander must first
renounce his allegiance 20 any other coun-
try and then at the end of fifteen years the
government at its option may give him
the franchise. Meanwhile the only reye-
nues the Beers or the Boer government
receive from the mines and railroads and
similar enterprises Is from taxation; but
this revenue Is a very large one and the
Uitlander pays fully ninety-hve per cent.
of IL. High prices are paid too, for min
ing supplies. such as dynamite, Of the
manufacture OF which there IS a monopoly
sanctioned and protected by the TransyaA
government. The BOer well knows that IL
the Jit'ander were permitted 20 vote since
he is So largely I'm the majority all this
would be swept away and the foreigner
would own the country
10 is the Old old fight between progress
and primal conditions: between greed, IL
YOU please. and Unborn contenment. the
old fight that has always ended IN the
same way. And this particular fight +
celebrated. Histories have been written
fancy. the sentmentalist. the politician.
the statesman and the trader have all had
their say. And the fight is important be-
cause OF the high stakes the greedy are
lighting for and the principle for which
the other side IS cOntendlng A table re-
Gently published I'm the New York Sun
shows that the total amount paid I'm diyi-
dends by the goa producing mines was I'm
1896. $4,000; I'm 1897, $l35o0O0o, and In
1898. S24 $1,000 one mine pays a dividend
Of 61j per cent; another. 800 per cent, five
or six over l0J per cent. and none less than
Is per cent Sir Alfred Miner said. the day
he left England to return TO South Africa.
when asked what his policy would Doe con-
cenrnlng the Transyaal:
III you saw q solid pile Of gold worth
five hundred millions sterling over there
with 2l0JJ Beers armed to the teeth Sit
ting upon it. what would you d0?'
Less enigmatic was the statement made
by Lionel Phillips. one OF the Rand mill
ionaires 1--WE don't care about the fran
chise; we want the mines"
Finally President Kruger. through hi5
secretary has given 10 the New York
World his view OF the controversy. as
fellows:
"The present agitation against this re-
public emanates party from certain
section OF British residents 90 whom the
existence Of the republic. which embraces
the most hourishng parts OF South AZ
RIGA is a standing eyesore, ana who suffer
from the prevailing lingo mania; partly
also. from mining capitalists. who, not
content with having here the best mining
laws In the world wish also 20 have COM
plete control OF al legislation and admin
istration.
'rhe franchise voting question was
taken up (by EnglanO because II was
thought the republic would not yield on
that point. Now that the altered fran
chise does not materially differ from the
American-it is IN many respects easier
the agitation has become much worse.
The object clearly Is the destruction of our
republic and the complete control OF the
richest mines Of the world.
"The press. entirely controlled by capi-
talists. spreads Unprecedented misrcpre-
sentatl0n and prejudice throughout the
world against the Boer republic.
1--WE are determined to defend 20 the
utterm0st that freedom and sclf-g0vern-
ment for which our people have shed
blood I'm every part Of South Africa.
Though we have no powerful friends az
d..