Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-12
Says Boer War is Just and Neces-
sary.
BRITISH CAUSE OF ACTION
He Draws an Analogy in the Case
of Cuba.
CHAMBERLAIN,S STANDING

| on visit to Washington, presented the
| Brtttsh-South African question in a light
somewhat different from that in which It is
very widely viewed in this country.
MIR. Frewen is a home ruler in English
politics and strong sympathzer with the
democrats in this country, but differs with
| the democrats in the view many of them
take Of the South African question. 1t was
| suggested to Mr., Frewen that some of our
people regarded the South African war as
capitalistic move. a fresh encroachment
| Of the money power" as it is referred to
| by some of the democrats.
You are a home ruler in English politics
| and free silver man here" was suggest
| ed: what is your view?'
A Just and Necessary War,
| Because am a home ruler, therefore I
consider that England has never entered
upon a war SO just and so necessary I
| am home ruler because believe with
Thomas Jefferson that governments derive
their Just powers from the consent of the
| governed. and that when two-thirds of the
white community in the Transyaal with
hold consent, when they are refused the
franchise, although they pay nine-tenths
of the taxes. then 1t seems to me that Eng
lands Intervention is necessary, Just as |
considered your Intervention in Cuba was
necessary. If the majority in the Trans
Vaal may be governed without their con-
sent then SO also may the majority in Ire
land. I trust am consistent in my belief
in the rights Of the majority In Ireland
and also in Africa"
But it is said here that II the Uitlanders
did not like the terms OF the franchise they
need not have gone to South Africa"
There Is nothing whatever in that argu-
ment. When Kruger in his letter of Deem
Der, 1883. invited foreigners to come in and
develop the mines his laws provided that
every NJ rn.r1d
vote, and In the evidence he rendered be-
fore the royal commission, when Sir Evelyn
Wood asked him %. 243) whether he agreed
to extend equal privileges to ALL he said:
We make no distinction in so far as burgh-
er rights are concerned. There might per
haps be some small difference in the case
OF young person who had just come into
the country But when he had enmeshed
thousands Of our countrymen and many
millions Of our money he raised the resi-
dental qualification to fourteen years, and
even then before a man is qualified to vote
ne must obtain the consent In writing of
majority of the voters in his electoral dis
trict As the law stands today children of
Uftlander parents born in Africa can be
forced to fight for the land Of their birth
at sixteen, while they cannot get burgher
rights-the full rights to the franchise-be-
fore they are forty. And not content with
altering the conditions of the franchise,
Kruger proceeded to pile up the taxes until
today the gold mines pay one-half of their
annual profits in taxes; 1898 was the only
year thus far in which the gold mines paid
as much to their shareholders they did
to Kruger & Co. In 1907 the total dividend
paid by all the gold mines in the Transvaal
was f2. 729,OOO while they paid to the reve-
nue. f3,956,402. Could anything be more in
famous? That the wealth producers should
be bled after this fashion and their pay
ments converted into guns and forts to
overawe their town? The guns in the forts
of johannesburg all point upon the main
streets of the town.
An Analogy as to Cuba.
Then It is your view that the taxpayers
are entitled to the franchise on reasonable
terms so that they may protect themselves
from excessive taxation and corruption?"
Exactly. And let me offer you a very
precise analogy. You are now establish
ing a government in Cuba and giving back
Cuba to the Cubans. Suppose that In TWEEN
ty years time a two-thirds ma jority of the
population Of Cuba is American: that the
Americans have bought half the island. and
own nine-tenths of the assessed property
in the island: would you stand by and see
your countrymen DISTINGUISHED. disarned
and so per cent OF their earnings taken by
boodlers and bandits, for the corrupt ring
who have had charge Of the machine in
Pretoria are no better than bendits?"
1--WE understand that the taxation is
seven times higher per capita than in this
country, and no doubt it has been used to
buy guns; but is there any evidence as to
defalcations?"
Amy amount of evidence. and these Pre-
torians of Krugers know that the very
first thing that We intend to do after the
war will be to appoint a financial commits
sion to examine the revenue accounts and
to recover much as possible from the
official thieves. Let me give You one in
stance out of a score. Barend Vorster Sc
cured concession from Kruger and the
volksraad in 1880 to build 200 miles of rail-
road for $4,000 mile, plus per cent
guarantee forever on the bonds. Two days
after he obtained the concession he subcon-
tracted the concession for less than $4,000
per mile; in other words he made 81, 900, 600
in cash out Of the concession. In 1897 the
Transvaal government repudiated their
guarantee and the railway company app
pealing to the high court showed that to
obtain this concession twenty-one members
of the senate out of twenty-five members
had been bribed. But could give You any
number Of instances of these steals No
wonder both president and senators prefer
war to the revelations of a financial COM
mission"
How do you consider Mr. Chamberlain
stands? Here it is said that he was impli-
Gated in the abortive revolution attempted
at the time Of the Jameson raid"
Standing of Mr.. Chamberlain.
"Oh, perhaps he was. The revolutionary
party had got half of the officials at Pre-
torfo bought and anticipated a bloodless
coup d'etat. and Mr.. Chamberlain would
have naturally prayed for its success, SO
that all this carnage could have been avoid
ed. We are all sorry that the settlement
was not achieved internally and with gold,
rather than externally and with gunpowder.
But by the light Of events such a settle
ment is seen to have been impossible by a
disarmed mob, and We owe Mr.. Chamber
lain national debt Of gratitude thai he
has brought matters to a head even thus
late in the day. Suppose things had been
allowed to drift until another Fashoda cpl
sode had involved US in a war with a con-
tfnental nation. is 1t not clear that the Afri-
can Dutch would have cleared South Afrf-
ca of the English, and that all the vilainies
of Transvaal rule would have been per
petrated in our home rule colonies in Natal
and in Cape Colony?'
We'll, Mr.. Frewen. England has the cour-
age Of her convictions, and you hold strong
views as to the justice of the war namely
that reasons of self-defense made 1t ineytt-
able"
Exactly, and with all the facts before
them and with public opinion instructed by
the letters and communications of thou
sands of their citizens. who are Uitlanders
you see that Great Britain's colonies are
passionately and enthusiastically with her
in this war. That socialist community New
Zealand; those radical republics flor they
are republics except in name) In Australia.
the tories of Canada. the French of Cana
da all east and west, they are sending men
without being asked and voting supplies