St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-03-21
Shall We sympathizewith the Beers ?

understand that the great "trek"
of the Dutch from Cape Colony
began in 1888, whereas it's alleged
cause, the emancipation of the slaves,
occurred year later. Furthermore,
the emigrants were many from the
eastern division of the colony. where
few slaves were held. The Hotten-
tots, under English rule in Cape
Colony, have died out, while the ma
tive population in the Dutch repub-
lies is more numerous than ever.
There is some significance in that
fact. And let us remember, in pass
ing, that the United States and Great
Britain owned few slaves for some
time, but neither of them ever
requested any pharisaical foreign
power, just out of Egypt itself, to
interfere and abolish the institution.
Well, these exiled people, after endur-
ing bravely great hardships, finally
established a state in Natal. Eng.
land had said that she didn't want
this country. but she afterward in.
vaded it and the burghers with their
families were driven further back over
the mountains. In IT this new ter
ritory, across the Vaal, was annexed
by England, partly at the request of
a certain number of the Beers, and
mainly, so the British authorities
said, because "the weakened condi-
ton OF the Transvaal republic was a
menace to British interests" The
great majority of the Beers objected
to this proceeding, and at Majuba
Hill they gained their independence.
This Transvaal is not a republic in
all respects like our own. But its
founders were the pioneers in self
government in South Africa. They
have maintained this principle
through all these years against the
forces Of nature, of barbarism, and OF
English aggression. Are they not en-
titled to some respect for what they
have accomplished? What else but
republic can you call country in
which all citizens over sixteen vote?
Mr.. Morse said in a recent issue
that the Beers only are allowed to
vote. Well, who else has any right to
such privilege? Does our country
grant the franchise to men who are
neither native born nor yet natural
lied? Let some foreign power insist
that we allow her subjects to vote
here, while still remaining the sworn
servants and soldiers of herself
What do you think would be the an.
swer OF the American people?
By virtue of the accepted Monroe
doctrine we claim a certain sover-
eighty over the other American
states, Mexico, for example, a GER
tain control over her foreign rela-
tions; right for our safety and we'll
beng as we'll as her own; to say that
she shall enter into no imprudent
and dangerous European alliances.
Such a right and such only has Eng
land, by the London convention,
over the Transvaal. Now suppose
we go to Mexico and say; "Our citi-
zens are working your mines and va
rlous other industries. We demand
that you allow them the franchise
while at the same time they shall re.
tain their allegiance to the United
States" Such is the proposition
that England makes to the Beers.
The gold seekers (proverbially an un.
selfish and disinterested class are to
have a privilege by which they will
entirely control the government,
while they still remain free to assist
Great Britain in case of war. Con-
slderlng that England has already
two or three times driven the Beers
from their homes into exile, and re-
membering the recent Jameson raid,
one can hardly blame Dom Paul for
feeling little suspicious of the civil
izlng Greeks even while bringing pres
ents in the shape of railroads and
other good things.
Great Britain cared not a rap for
the Iransvaal till gold was discov.
cred there. Gladstone said "Let the
Beers have the county, we don't
want it." But with the sight OF the
diamonds came great solicitude for
'ne clvlllzing of the people and the
employment of proper and modern
methods OF developing the country.
Vne OF our prominent Littleton men
naS several farms and shows great
capacity for their management; but
he adr,,.L. IL -