The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-06
THE KRUGER GOVERNMENT.

At no time has the Journal undertaken
to defend the British policy in the Trans
vaal. 1t has said that there were two
sides 10 the question, both Of which ii has
given. 1t has said that President Kruger
forced the war by an ultimatum and by
Immediately seizing towns in British terri
tory. in the retaking of which the heaviest
British losses were sustained 1t has said
that President Kruger and the authorities
of the Orange Free State started out to
expel the British from South Africa, be-
cause his language and acts warrant that
view. 1t has said that the South African
Republic Is in no sense a democratic form
or government. because only about one
fourth of its inhabitants have any voice in
affairs of the government. The Sentinel
the country in state OF vassalage. yet all
of those who have written on either side
Of the question assert admit that many
natives have been held as apprentices
for years. lie Roy Hooker, in his recent
book. in which he takes the side of the
Beers, says that twice the Afrikanders
trekked. largely to get away from British
power because 1t would no longer tolerate
slavery on British soil" The Sentinel de-
clares that there is no more slavery or
in Hawaii. evidently forgetting that the
act OF Congress making Hawaii Terri
tory prohibits contract labor.
The Kruger government, as the Journal
has declared. is a narrow oligarchy. Com
ing TO this country. a foreigner is permitted
to vote in Indiana after a years residence
four years before he becomes naturalized
citizen-no matter how ignorant he may
be. Going to the Transvaal the most in
teligent foreigners are required to abandon
citizenship elsewhere and be citizens of no
country for five years before they can be
admitted to limited citizenship in the Kru-
ger republic. If the foreigner is so unfor-
tunate as to be Catholic or Jew he is
denied naturalization. The Boer govern
ment has not only been cruel to the ma
tives. but to whites. Several years ago.
before the unwarranted Jameson raid, sixty
of the best men in the city of Johannes
burg were thrown into prison on charge
of treason because, as the official record of
their trial shows. they had attempted to
compel internal reforms without the least
idea of threatening the independence of the
Kruger government. The holding of pub
lie meetings in the open air was prohibited
by law. Finally the right of petition was
prohibited. President Kruger had the
cate his property. 1t is said that after his
declaration of war $4,000 foreigners were
expelled and their property confscated 1t
| is further stated and not denied. that the
Kruger Legislature passed a law, after the
| war began. which empowers Boer officers
10 force any neutral. which includes Amer
| lean citizens. to serve in any mental capac-
ity Prof James Bryce. who criticises the
| British policy toward the South African
Republic, in his impressions OF South Az
lie only in name.
The statement which the Journal made
was that not much sympathy could be ex-
| tended to the Kruger government on the
ground that 1t Is a republic in which the
people have voice in the affairs OF the
government. but is an oligarchy, so ruled
| that. in a few years. Kruger and his i'm
mediate relatives and friends have amassed
large fortunes. which have been shipped
away In the form of gold. That statement
/ Is sustained by the facts.