The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-18
BRITISH RIGHTS IN SOUTH AFRICA


At meeting of Boer sylnpathzers held
in Michigan town few days ago reso-
luton was adopted denouncing as 'the
greatest crime of the age that a monarchy
which has not and never did have any
rights in South Africa should attempt to
public which derived it's God-given rights
from heaven" There is good deal of this
kind of gush extant. Not to speak of the
misplaced sympathy thus wasted on a gov
eminent that is founded in prescription and
injustice. the ignorance of history shown
by such declarations is calculated to bring
Americans into ridicule and contempt
among intelligent Englishmen. AS a mat
ter of fact, British annexation of the
Transvaal the result of the present war
dition brought about by the Beers them
selves. Once before the Trsnsvaal was an
nexed by Great Britain in order to save the
government from bankruptcy and the peo-
PIE from ruin. This was in 1877. 1.-THE South
African republic says Mr.. J. p. Fitzpat-
rick in ''The Transvaal from Within" had
been in existence as an independent state
for twelve years when it reached that con-
dition of insolvency which appeared to in
vite. or at least justify. annexation as the
chaos" The republic owed over 81, O0O. 900
without any means or prospect of paying
it. Its creditors were clamorous. its gov
eminent impotent and its people torn by
dissensions. The President at that time
was Mr.. Burgers. and Paul Kruger. the
present President, was leader Of one of the
factions. When the government was about
to go to pieces In fact after 1t had prac-
tically, Great Britain stepped in and an
nexed the territory. At that time 1900 out
tons In favor of annexation. President
Burgers and most of the members of the
government favored annexation as the only
solution of the situation. The editor of the
Boer newspaper. under date of March IS,
1877. wrote: "About three months ago We
said we would prefer confederation under
the British flag If the state of anarchy
then threatening were to continue. We
know that a good and stable government is
| better than anarchy any day" In the
Rad, or Congress, President Burgers
openly reproached members for proclaim
| ing in public. and for improper reasons.
views Numerically opposed to those pri-
vately expressed on the annexation ques-
tion On March the President read an ad-
| dress to the Rad in which he said:
| would rather be a policeman under a
/ strong government than the President of
| such q state. 1t Is you-you members of
| the Raad and the Boers-who have lost
/ the country, who have sold your independ-
| ence for a soupe Ca drink You have Ill
treated the natives. you have shot them
| down. you have sold them into slavery. and
/ YOU have to pay the penalty. We
/ the hope that matters would mend by and
i by. IL would only be self-deceit. / tell you
/ openly. matters are as bad as they ear
| ever be: they cannot be worse. These are
/ butter truths, and people may perhaps turn
/ their backs on me; but then / shall have
/ the consolation of having done my duty
IL is asked. what have the English
| got to do with our position? / tell you. as
much as we have to do with our Kaffir
/ neighbors. AS little can we allow barbara.
/ ties among the Kaffirs on our borders. as
little can they allow that In a state on their
| borders anarchy and rebellion should pre-
| vail Do you know what has recently hap.
| pened in Turkey? Because civilized
/ government was carried on there the great
/ powers interfered and said. Thus far, and
| no further And IL this Is done TO an EN-.
pire. will little republic be excused wher
| II misbehaves?
such was the message read by president
Burgers before the Raad on March 3. 1877