Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-06-08
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
OUR SYMPATHY WITH THE eosRs.

Thomas b. Shearman. New ork law
yer of prominence, writes in the North
American Review on mistaken Sympa-
thy with Republics" He makes it clear
that at least he has no sympathy, mis-
taken or otherwise, for the Boer republics
and he presents good case against them
as not being, from his point of view,
republics at all. Thus, laying stress, as
Mr.. Chamberlain did some months ago
but unsuccessfullv, on the wrongs of the
uitlanders in the Transvaal, he rehearses
its limitations on the suffrage and notes
that whereas the foreigner in Boredom
could at one time become citizen by a
residence of two years in the republic the
term was afterwards extended to II years.
He also argues that so complicated were
the requirements piled against the nit
lander by President Kruger it was fair to
draw the inference that it was never sim
cerely intended to give them any political
control in the Transvaal either after a
residence of II years or at any time. Mr..
Shearman does not say, however, that
Boer dstrust of the foreigner, expressed
in the form of BOer desire to manage his
own affairs, Is a Justification for war; nor
does he come down to the detail of
recording the fact that an offer was made
by President Kruger to make the term Of
residence by which citizenship could be
had IN the republic five years-this for
the sake of avoiding war. The omission
does not particularly matter, however :;
Mr.. Shearman was not called on, being a
LAWYER. to weaken his own case.
~ that in thp nI1m her
of the Review an English member of par
lament explains "Why British Workmen
Condemn the War" and that, without
having seen Mr.. Shearman's article, he
presents tn quo que argument 10 part
of it. Mr.. Madison, who makes this
reply, points out that it was not till 1892
that any attempt was made in England to
enfranchise the people, land that what is
called the great reform bill left untouched
the masses of the population" The nit
landers of the Transvaal can in only very
small numbers show a residence there of
more than ten years. for the most of them
have entered the republic since the dis
coverv of gold. Now "the work people,,
of England chad not to wait ten years
only for the next step in the widening of
the franchise, but 30 years, the interval
being filled in with much suffering and
persecution of the men who led the agita-
ton for popular representations.
At the end of the 81 years the bill as
passed left without the franchise about
two millions "who we're for ali practical
purposes as much outside the common
wealth as though they had been aliens"
And Mr.. Madison adds that what in
creases the irony of the situation is that
the very men who are so Jealous in
demanding the franchise for the uit-
landers in the Transvaal are bitterly
opposed to the extension of the franchise
at home. The wOrlimen of England
waited generations for reform that the
Transvaal was asked to give on demand
or fight; and those same workmen, with
two million still not franchised, now
''stronglv object to assist them (the nit
landers of the Transvaall with the mill
tary forces of the nation TO become citi.
Zens of another country.
Mr.. Madison presses the matter still
farther home. He alleges that Hayes
Hammond, an American now lecturing
in this country against the Beers, has
eminent. Needing anything but Boel
government. there would be no diff
Guilty in cutting down wages. because il
is preposterous to pay kaiiir the pres
ent wages The Boer government in
ssts on an eight hour day, forbids sun
day labor, and will not permit enforced
black labor; and the Inference from Mr.
Maddisons article is that these restric
tons on the uitlander mine owner have
been taken quite as much to heart as have
the limitations on the suffrage. Indeed
the removal of the latter was probably
desired so that the former could be abol
ished.
Mr.. Shearman's conclusion is that TIL
Transyaal is not so much of a republic a
i Great Britain. But this member o
parliament shows thar Mr.. Sherman die
not present the last word on the sub
iect.-Rutland News.