The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-06
HOT SCOTCH.

Seattle, Jan. 4, 1900.
To the Editor: have read with inter-
est the different opinions expressed in
your columns regarding the war now going
on between Britain and the Beers; but the
letter Of one of your correspondents, pub
lished in the issue of the 30th ultimo I
could not. as Scotsman, allow to go
past without little criticism.
Your correspondent says he resided in
the Transvaal for three years, and knows
OF what he says. Naturally. people read
ing his letter think such must be the case,
but lived in the Transvaal four years
and have known people who lived there
many years, yet who never came In con-
tact with any Of the Boer people, conse-
quently do not know anything of their
habits and mode Of living. and I think
such must have been your correspondents
experience. While there I had consider
able experience myself among them, and
more loutish and slovenly class of people
I do not wish to meet Your correspond
ent says the Beers are more civilized than
the people of Newfoundland. Then I am
sorry for the people of Newfoundland, and.
not having been there, cannot In fairness
contradict him. But the relative civili-
xation of Newfoundland, or any other
British colony, has nothing to do with the
conditions that exist in the Transvaal. 1t
would be Just as FAIR to Judge the people
in the Philippines as to judge the British
government by the state of society In some
one of It's colonies I was one of depu-
tation sent by the outlanders Of Johannes
burg some years ago to wait upon Dom
Paul In reference to a certain possession.
and all can say is that he simply acted
the hog. As regards the assertion fire.
quently made that the English govern
ment has forced this war upon the Beers
for the purpose of Selling the gold fields
of the Transvaai, 1t is a mistake. The
war is simply the result of a deliberate
scheme on the part of the Dutch leaders
in South Africa by means of which they
hope to secure complete control OF that
country. Their sympathizers claim that
they are right in this, and have the right
to their Independence, which they have,
providing they can secure 1t, just the
same as the Southern states would have
had right to their independence pro-
viding they could have secured 1t. The
oppression and greed, to my own personal
knowledge, has been all on the part Of
the Transvaal government.
If an Englishrnan or American bought a
piece of ground in johannesburg. ne would
obtain what appeared to be clear title
to the land, but as soon as he made i'm
provements upon 1t, an agent of the gov
eminent would appear and assess him for
a certain amount for taxes which had to
be paid on or before fixed date. II not
paid at that time, the whole property and
all the improvements upon 1t, would be
confiscated by the government. and there
was no redress An Englishman could be
murdered with impunity by the Beers and
there was no redress in their courts Of law.
You could rob an Engishman and no one
would convict you providing you were
Boer. These outrages and many others Of
which I have neither the time nor space
to write, were Of frequent occurrence and
were permitted. as I believe by the gov
eminent of the Transvaal simply for the
purpose of provoking the British govern
ment into war for which they were not
prepared. The question of franchise was
simply one Of the issues and an important
one at that, but the real question at issue
was whether or not the British govern
ment would continue to allow its subjects
to be treated as outlaws. and whatever be
the result Of the conflict, feel that the
British government Is only doing what any
government should do: that is. protect the
rights and property and lives of its ct.f-
zens by every means and every dollar at
its command.
A. CULLEN.