The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-19
The War in the Transva al.

Editor Advertiser: Though a great deal
has been written on the subject of the
war and the different side issues that
bear upon it, but little has as yet been
said of the views entertained by the col
red subjects of Her Majesty in South
Africa as to the events which are now
holding in awe the attention of the civil
7ed world.
When it is taken into consideration
hat the native population in the districts
Immediately affected by the war is sew
sral times larger than the residential
white population in those territories. il
viii be recognized that the native in
peace or war is, in South Africa. a po-
itical AUTOMATICALLY, at any rate
f immense Importance. There is anoth-
er very strong factor that, under the
circumstances, conserves to Great Brit
lin the loyalty and confidence of the ma
ives-quite apart, be it understood from
he different treatment that is meted out
to them by the peoples of the respective
.erritories-and that is the wonderful in
stinct in forming mainly accurate deduc-
lions from rapid observation. Like al
races in which might is recognized as
right, the hereditary trait of suspicion
and distrust in the South African has
served to sharpen the faculty of obser-
vation to an extraordinary keenness and
temper. He accepts no statement, adj
mits of no act as having been made OF
committed without some Interior motive
IoluS 10 the point Oh the DOllCy
upon which Briton and Boer have al
ways stood in irreconcilable antagonism
from 1905 to 1899, 4 come to the real un-
DERIVING cause of this war-the native
question. Here is the true parting OF
the ways of Briton and Boer: To the
Briton the overwhelming multitudes OF
ns tives in South Africa form a subject
race bound to him by common humanity
To the Boer the native is "a black crea-
ture" who was created to be newer OF
wood and drawer of water to his white
master. He cannot legally own land
should not be allowed to learn to read
and write, must not be married by a
minister of religion in such a way as to
claim the recognition of the State for
his marriage, like a white mans mar
riage. and, above all, must never under
any circumstances be permitted to claim
the franchise as a political unit of the
State.
The difference between Briton and Boer
in dealing with natives is irreconcilable
and fundamental, and it is likely that
the Beers would long ago have been rec
onciled TO British rule had they not real
lied that the British flag was in fiat an
tagonism to their whole native policy
over go years ago the Beers colonized
South Africa in the spirit of the stern
and harsh Calvinism of the Synod of
DCrt. They look upon themselves as the
chosen people of God. the predestined
lords of the soil, whose destiny is to
possess the whole of Southern and Cen
tral Africa. To them South Africa is
the land OF promise which. like the Is
raelites of old, they have to win for them
selves by the sword
The native races are the Canaanites
VINO have to be driven out, eXtirpated by
8oer commands as Joshua smote the
men of Jericho. Joshua allowed the
remnants of the Canaanites no civil
lights and found no place for them save
$ hewers of wood and drawers of water
FOR his victorious host. The Boer leaders
take Joshua as an example in dealing
with the native race. And If an alier
White race. like the English, comes and
cities in South Africa, with it's newfan-
cleo notions that slavery is wicked an
hat natives are human beings, so mucl
the worse for the meddlesome strangers.