Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-02-14

ldent Kruger at the time of retrOces-
sion, practically disfranchised the
Outlanders aud converted them into
political helots. Although they
owned, by purchase, three fftbs of
the land in the country, and contrib
uted nine tenths of the taxation. al
though they were majority of the
white population, yet in all matters
affecting their lives. their liberties
and their properties they had abso-
lutely no voice. The great principle
of representative government on the
basis of equal rights, in Difference 10
which Mr.. Gladstone had arrested
the march Of his army on the eve of
victory and gwen the Transvaal back
to the Boer, had been flagrantlv
violated aud set aside
But" as Mr.. Bryce says, "those
who have made a country and are
ruling country. those who like the
country as it is and object to new
tangled ways, cannot be expected to
open their arms to newcomers and
invest them with the fulluess of their
own political privileges. The Beers
resolved to exclude the immigrants
for a good while, at least-from
exerting political power. The period
of residence aud other formalities
prescribed for the acquisition of
burgher rights and the electoral
franchise was heightened. This was
AL obvious form of self preservation.
MIR. Reits. the State Secretary Of
the South African Republic. a man
of culture and ability, maintains that
the Transvaal was under no obliga-
ton, under the Pretoria convent n
of 1881, To give the Ontlanders full
political equality. Article u of that
convention provides that ''all persons
cher Majesty's loyal subjects will
have full liberty to reside in the
country, with the enjoyment of all
civil rights and protection for tLeir
persons and property" In the Lon
don convention of 1884, article Il. it
was provided that:
"All persons. other than natives.
conforming themselves to the laws of
the South African Republic will have
full liberty, with their families, to
enter, travel or reside in any part of
the South African Republic; they
will be entitled to hire or possess
houses, manufactures. warehouses.
shops and premises; they may carry
on their commerce, either in person
or by agents whom they may think
fit To employ; they will not be sub
ject, in respect Of their persons or
property or in respect of their COM
mcrce or industry, TO any taxes.
whether general or local, other than
those which are. or NAV be, imposed
upon citizens of the said Republic ="
In this way all white Outlanders.
the TranSvaal Government claimed.
were guaranteed in their rights of free
movement, ownership and possession
of property, trade and commerce. and
equal taxation with burghers. The
Government of the South African
Republic contends Mr.. Reitz.
would have been acting strictly un-
der the terms of the convention if it
had Informed Mr.. Cham berlain that
it alone had to determine upon the
franchise AS being a question of a
purely internal nature"
Bnt the franchise was not the ONLY
"grIevance" of the Outlanders. They
alleged, as stated by Earl Grey. that
the High Court was placed in com
plete subOrdination to the Executive.
who frequently refused to abide by
It's decisions. They complained be
cause the use of the English Ian
guage. both in the courts of law and
government offices, W 5 forbidden. In
Government schools. paid by the Out
LADDERS, the Dutch language was tn,
sole medium of instruction for tn,
Older children. The objected TO tn,
elementary sanitary regulations II
johannesburg, and declared they
were allowed no voice In municipa
control. They complained of tn,
Boer police; alleged Government con
nivance in the sale of liquor to ma
tives; charged that concessions an,