The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-04-16

While 1t may undoubtedly be true
that the majority OF the people Of this
country sympathlze with the cause OF
the Beers. they do so not from an in
telligent understanding OF the merits
OF the case. but from a long-nursed
hatred Of the British and her lard
hunger" However much England may
be in the wrong. there is something also
to be said against the Transvaal re-
public which is not a republic as
Americans understand the application
OF that term. Mr.. Thomas b. Shear
man, a well-Informed gentleman on
South African questions, in the North
American Review. devotes considerable
attention to an examination OF the
sources Of pro-Boer sympathy. and
sums these up in the statement that,
whatever be the number OF those affect
ed by 1t, there is no doubt that. after
setting aside tina; large class OF cltl-
zens by adoption. whose chief motive
In political life is hatred OF Great Brit
ain, the remainder are on the side Of
the Transvaal for substantially no
other reason than that It calls itself a
republic. while Great Britain calls L.
self u monarchy"
This gives Mr.. Shearnlan the oppor-
tunIty to make an impartial resume Of
the principal characteristics of the two
governments thus placed in opposition
to each other. and also to make some
discriminating and luminous comments
on the subject Of Mistaken Sympathy
With Republics"
In framing his indictment against the
government OF the Transvaal. Mr..
shearman begins by showing how alb
soIutely unrepubllcan in structure 1t is.
The government consists OF a president
and two legislative bodies. called the
first and second rlads, OF which the
second has no power except to tax.
It may frame bills and send them 20
the upper raad. but as the latter body
invariably casts all such papers Int
its waste basket the power can hardly
be said TO be OF much Significance. The
constitution prohibits the first raad
from proposing any measures, and con
fines its powers to discussing ana vot-
ing upon measures which are sent 1t,
either from the president or from the
second Rad AS 1t recognizes nothing
that comes from the latter source. the
inevitable result is that no law can
ever be passed which is not proposed
by the president. As the concurrence
OF the second raad is not necessary 10:
any purpose. anything which is pro.
posed by the president and voted by
the first raad becomes at once law.
This is certainly not a republican form
Of government In any sense with which
we are familiar. and when it becomes
a question OF municipal government the
absence Of. any approach to n system
Of free institutions is still more ap-
parent. The city Of johannesburg,
with $4,000 Inhabitants. Is not merely
not allowed to elect a municipal gov
eminent. but 1t is not allowed to have
any, either elected or appointed.
Mr.. shearman recounts the familiar
story Of President Krugcv's deceptive
shufHlng with the franchise question.
and the rapid enrichment OF the coun-
try by the immigration OF foreigners
who were first invited to oome anI
then denied the ordinary rights OF citl-
zenshIp. Taxation was lngeniously ar.
ranged In such a manner as to cast
rI,o-tartbs ~ tie bnr5,,, unon foratgn-