The Florence tribune., 1900-02-10
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.
What Seems to be Fair Statement of
 Conditions.
From the Butte Miner, Jan. 25.l

i engineer from South Africa, is paying Butte visit. He left South. Africa two months ago, and he is thoroughly posted on the political and social situa- tion there and able to talk about them interestingly and instructingly.
 "Yes, lived in South Africa for five years, and I know something about conditions there," said he. 1T lived here from 1890 to 1895, and then went to Africa and stayed there till two months ago, when left Johannesburg 1 for the United States. was one of the last people to leave there after the war broke out. l was connected with the Transvaal mines during all the time l was there, and us they are the center of all British interest and the sole things of value to the outlanders, had an excellent opportunity to learn all about tine difficulties between the English aud the Boers.
 "The great gold mines are the real cause of the war. These mines are controlled hy English and German capitalists. Rhodes is one of them, and he is backed by Chamberlain. These men want political control of the country, as well as financial and in- dustrial control of the great industrial interests there. Twelve years ago the Transvaal was wilderness, farmed in places by the Boers, who were poor, ignorant, and primitive people. To-day the Johannesburg mines are counted the greatest gold mines in the world. These mines are not on Assure veins like the mines here, but in great basin of gold-bearing rock. This area extends for fifteen miles to the east and fifteen miles to the west of Johan- nesburg, and it is several miles wide. Had there been no war, the mines would have produced $l00, ,000,0 900 this year. Besides these mines, diamonds were found near Pretoria two years
 
 makes the English covet the country. A further reason is that the country is practically unprospected and may be very rich in undiscovered lodges.
 ''1he pretended subject of eonten tion was the franchise. But it is not true that the lack of political rights was hardship on the outlanders. Nor is it true that this was the cause of the war. Not 10 per cent of the outlanders wanted to become citizens of the South African republic.
 ''As general principle, all men should have equal rights under the law in the country where they live, whether they are born there or settle there. But is it likely the United States would make war on China if Americans were denied the rights Of citizenship there until they had been residents fourteen years? However, as said, the outlanders did not want l to become citizens-neither the English nor the Americans There were 2l,- GOO signatures to the petition asking revision of the franchise law, but I have personal knowledge of the fact that some signers of it signed many times and that Kaffirs also signed it. It is claimed that the Americans in the Transvaal sympathize with the English, 1 but that is not true either. The Americans are employed by the British aud German mine owners as engineers and managers to run their mines, and the relation engendered between them by this circumstance ties the Americans to the interests of the latter. As 8 matter of fact, there is great enmity between the English and Americans, resulting from the jealously and ami mostly of.the English, who are beaten by the Americans in the industrial field.
 "The demand for political rights in behalf of the outlanders was made by the capitalists for their own purposes. They want control of the country, and adopted this means of forcing the government of the Transvaal into their hands. It's the same old story these people want to rule, just as such peo- pie have wanted to rule since the world began. They were willing tC adopt any means to secure their ends
 Cecil Rhodes is not applying tht
 maxim, 'the end justifes the means
 in the interest of civilization, nor t, succor the outlanders, but to make th'
 capitalists masters of the governmeu
 as well as the mines.
 "They forced the war on the Boer to accomplish this end. The outland CTS were not overtaxed without repre- . sentation. l was in the country fiv . years, and my taxes were about $4.50 . year. In addition to that, paid $2.6 for smallpox tax the last year. An : the mining laws there are better tha they are here. Mining claims ther . are only taxed $I.50 year, and ono . you have deed to one, you own ever,