Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-02-08

son than spite in it.
Those in the United States who write
and pass resolutions of sympathy with
the so-called South African republic
should not allow the preiudICes based
on what occurred In Great Britain cen
turtles ago TO overshadOw their Judge
ment. 1t is not a question Of what
England has stood for in the past;
what does she stand for tOday2 In this
war at least she uphOlds the principles
upon which our own government IS
founded freedom Of religion. no tax
alton misrepresentation, the major
ity must rule, and the minority shall
abide the decision Of the larger half Of
the people, expressed in an equal fran
ehisc at the polls. The Lutheran BOer
on the contrary is fighting to perpetuate
a religious caste-rule, the operation OF
which, on the opposite side, has been
the decay OF nations now lingering or
dead. Which Of these principles does
the progressive American citizen desire
To see succeed Whatever England
may have been in ages past, she is on
the right side now Bennington Ban
ner.
This is the British contention, but it
is mere pretext. She is less inter
ested in these grand principles of lib
erty and selt-government than she is in
planting her flag over the rich gold
fields of the Rand and over the pros
trate form of the victor Of Maiuba Hill.
She favors the granting ofthe suffrage
to the Uitlanders because the Uitland-
ers happen to be mostly Englishmen
and would speedily vote the Bocr re-
publics into the British empire. If
England is so much engrossed in fur
thering these noble principles, why
does she not set out TO enforce them
upon other peoples than the Beers who
are violating theme What right has
she anyway TO interfere with the do
nestle regulations ami qualifications
of citizenship Of any other country?
Would she assume the power in deal
IGN with Russia, France or Germany,
that she does with these little states
If she tried to say how soon her people
coming over to this country should
have the right to vote, wouldn't this
country resent it, just as the Beers
have? Even granting that the Beers
have been oppressive and unreasonable
in their treatment of the Uitlanders,
(Which is not at all certain,) the obvi-
Gus remedy would have been for the
Uitlanders 10 rebel themselves. If
they were the majority" that is claim
ed, and possessed all the wealth and
in the republic, they might
have secured any rights OF which they
were deprived. The truth is, the Tit
landers were not half so much concern
ed over their wrongs rs the British
ministry was. The Jameson raid met
with no cooperation from Johannes
burg. It is not essentially a conflict
of principles of government. British
rule may be the best in the world, but
that does not justify the attempt to
force it upon the whole world, regard
less OF everything else. The Boer may
be coarse. uncultured and the relic of
the past that the Briton regards him,
but he has the right to live in his own
country in his own way. If foreigners
20 there in search of wealth, they
should expect to put up with the Boer
as he is, and if they cannot do that they
have the alternative of getting out.
Recent events have shown that for
purposes of their own the British have
steadily misrepresented their foe. lie
has many admirable qualities Of which
the world has been kept in ignorance.
not the least of which is the disposition
and the ability to stand up for his
rights against overwhelming force.