New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-20
A SWISS VIEW OF THE WAR.
THE CONFLICT IN AFRICA ONE BETWEEN
LIBERTY AND OPPRESSION.

From the Bibliotheque Universelle ct Revue Suisse
The sympathy with the Beers as a little people
adversary is grounded rather sentiment than on
kn5wledge of the facts of the case. Three
handful of peasants" theory.
and 1884 in points of great importance-they guar
anteed freedom of trade for all the inhabitants
monstrous monopoles have been established; the
equality of Beers and foreigners before the law
was affirmed: according TO a decree of 1885 Boer
cannot be prosecuted for arrears of taxes; for
eigner can. The organization of the of JUS
rs suGn that the goods and life even Of
When the convention was signed a foreigner had
of "a 100000 the Outianders pay more than "a 900
the Beers ALMOST nothing
thousand British subjects demanded that the con-
helped their resistance by the jameson raid
tam ne question OF the natives occupies an mpor
quality Of races is registered in the Transvaal
o9nstitution-''There cannot be equality between
the Church. On August b. 1888, the VoRsraad u r t
1d motion g aiming at freeing native pastors
metal badge, showing that they in the SER
natives are imprisoned for agabondage Blacks cIt
have no rights before the law, nor can they own
A Boer who does not a farm pays S. a
While ean OWN be farm u Il lS
u rs: The tax gatherers. whose pay is from 1900
taxes collected and all the fines. make large fort
G GnSs. LAST year member of the Voksraad
in this income of 10000 year Finally fS
Villages are bnr8e Id to pay taxes its
off and the population is divided as booty among
is obliged to serve five years without wages
This regime has name-it is feudalism The
farmers are the seSneurs the blacks are the serfs
the tax CATERERS are the baiiifs who crush the
seFfT I In the name Of the sovereign Switzerland
The result Of all this is that when the natives
ap 9a b their position b. il they
ton of South Africa. bearing in mind the immense
But il is often said The English act in the
same way. Yes. sometimes; but when they do it
b hs Of the the blacks in Cape Colony
thing incompatibIe with civilization. If native
law as the Englishman, except that he is obliged
to to, be indoors after p m. He can get the fran
10 shilngs a year hut tax The Government makes
great sacrifices for the education of the natives
war IT is almost impossible say whose IL is
but neither the Beers nor the English are anseis
or devils; they are all men, carried away by hu-
it has right on its side
The Beers. who have great qualities. have also
the past. enemies of modern ideas. They aim at
Africa. Such an ambition might be justihable if
do r not rest fo on errors and Illusions They
to give " up to to the S Of
foreigners. Their aim is to make of the Beers a
privileged class. admitting strangers without rights
The manner in which they treated the OutIanders
while limited by the conventions gives a foreca ST
OF what they would do If freed from these lImta-
lions. The arbitrary treatment of the Outlanders
Is reflection OF the treatment of the natives
How would the latter fare under an Afrikander
empire?
England is defending in Africa the prestige which
allows Il 10 govern in India a numerous popula-
ton with relatively insignificant forces AS TO the
gold mines, she has shown. in Australia for exam
Pile that she leaves the profit OF them the colonies
where they She needs the Cape as a market for
her commerce and post for victualling her fleets.
But, what is infinitely the most important she
cannot abandon the numerous populations which
have settled in Africa under the protection Of her
laws nor the multitudes OF natives who are placed
under her protection OF whom a part at least are