The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-04
THE TRANsvAAL REPUBLIC.

THE TRANSVAAL EEPUBLIC.
Those who have denounced Great
Britain for waging war against the Beers
have laid great stress ON the fact t5at
this is a war of monarchy against a
republic The Transvaal is indeed. re-
public in name. but there are republics
and republics, and Dom Paul Kruger is
more of a king than he is a president
His word is law, and none dare disobey-
Some facts concerning the Transraai
Mr.. Drase, NJ. P, in discussion in the
House of Commons Just after the war
began. He declared that such thing
as a free press does not eNistin the Trans
vaal, as. according to the press law OF
1896 the president of the South African
republic can. on the advice and with the
consent of the Executive, forbid the cir
culation of printed matter entirely. or for
a time at his discretion. and it is within
his power to prohibit the circulation OF
any newspaper 1t is also noted that
President Kruger has exercised this pow
er more than once.
Government and indoor meetings can be
broken up by order of the police in terms
of law.
There is no such thing as religious lib
erty in the Trans 2aal Republic. No Ro-
man Catholic can ever be President or
member of the Executive Council OF a
member OF either of the Raads.
The judges are all subservient to the
President. and can be dismissed by him
at pleasure. and the present Chief Justice
has said that the oath which the judges
are called upon TO take is one which
no man can take and preserve his self
respect.
There is no trial by jury Of his peers
for the Uitlander
The administration of the police is harsh
and arbitrary in their treatment of indi-
viduals whom they happen to dislike.
The police are privileged to enter houses
without a warrant and can treat people
with the grossest brutality. as they have
been known to do.
Under the alien expulsion act. the Presi-
dent has power TO eXpel any tltlanueE
without any trial whatever
There is a dynamite monopoly by which
miners are made to pay double prices
for that commodity, and there are mo-
nopolies of matches. paper, chocolate.
wool. starch, mineral waters, soaps, oils,
and other articles, all of which are mem
toned. Mr.. Drage said, in the Blue Book
;c-,,ad nv tho Colonial Secretary
In the city of johannesburg there are
$1,000 uitlander electors to 1000 Beers, and
Vet the Beers elect equal number OF
members the chairman Of the council
has To be 4 Boer, appointed and PAD by
the government, and the decisions Of the
Council. when arrived at. are subject to
confirmation by the Executive.
That may d first-class republic from
the African standpoint, but it is not such
a republic as Americans hold up for a
model. 1t has never Teen claimed mat
the Beers treated the Uitlanders with any
sort Of consideration. The contention OF
the Boer sympathizcr is that the country
belongs TO the Beers: that the Citlanaers
are interlopers, and that the latter have
no rights which the Beers are under OBJ
legation to respect. But Mr.. Drage points
out that by agreement between the Britlsh
Government and President Kruger the
Titlandcrs have rights, and that it is the
them. We quote:
ION May 10, 1851. at a conference be-
tween representatives of Her Majesty ana
representatives OF the IrahsNaal me
President, Sir Hercules Robinson. asked
the question: Before annexation, had
British subjects complete freedom OF trade
throuchout the Transvaal? Mr.. KRUGER
replied: They were on the same -1ootlhs
as. the burghers; there was not the Slight
est difference in accordance with the sand
River Convention. Sir Hercules ROBINSON:
/ presume you will not object TO mat
continuing? Mr.. Kruger: No: there will
he equal protection for everybody. Sir
EVELYN Wood: And equal privileges? Mr
Kruger: We make 40 difference so Tar
as burSher rights are concerned. 1Eefe
may be some slight difference in the case
of 4 Young person who has just come into
the country.
Lord Palmerston once said: "a British
subject, in whatever land he may he.
shall feel confident that the watchful eye
and strong arm of England will !rctcct
him against injustice and wrong. Ihat
is English gospel. and it is to uphold ihat
great principle that Great Britain is now
carrying On an expensive and hazardous
war III South Africa. We yield to no::e
in our love oc liberty. and we deeply SYM
pathize with those who battle for it. We
are no British partisan. but there IS much
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as an impartial newspaper. we have en-