The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-01-14

From these two recoguitions of Boer
independence sprang two Boer re-
publics-,he Transvaal, composed
of the people beyond The Yaal river,
and the Orange Free State, compos-
ed Of the farmers of the Orange
river. After series OF struggles
hetw cen the English and the people
of the Transvaal, another conven
lion was held in 1884, in which the
rights and status of the South Afri-
can Republic-a name now given TO
the Transvaal-were greatly enlarg-
ed.
But now comes the important ep-
och. In 1885 gold was discovered
in the Transvaal. A stream of im-
migrants from the rest of South AT
RIGA, from Europe, Australia and
from North America began to pour
in, so that IN a few years the white
population was more than trebled.
The first result of this sudden influx
was Ia enrich Boer land owners and
to increase the revenues OF the State.
But IT soon became evident to the
Boer inhabitants that these new
corners, these immigrant settlers for
Uitlanders, as they are commonly
called, when they had become citi-
zens and bad begun TO cast their
votes, would constitute, in the
course of time, a majority OF the
voters, and that they could, by elect
ing their own representatives to the
Assembly and to the executive Off
ces, completely revolutionize the
government and shut out the old
Beers altogether. From this they
reeoiled in horror. They decided to
let the immigrants remain, but to
exclude them for good while to-
come from exerting political power.
This was done by lengthening the
period Of residence and other for
malities prescribed for the acqnisi.
ton of burgher rights aud the cleo.
toral franchise. This they did as a
matter of self-preservatiun. They
took the position that they and their
fathers had not trekked out of Cape
Colony, founded their own republic
and thrown off the yoke of England,
to be oTerruD at last by vast hode
Of English, Australian and Aneri-
can miners, mostly of Jewish extrao-
ton; and they therefore took these
measures to preserve their own form
of goysernment.
The immigrants, on the other
hand, complained bitterly that every
where else in Sonih Africa settler
could vote after two or three years
residence. W by should he not have
the same right in the Transvaal?
The Beers answered this by saying
that the Transvaal was the only part
of South Africa where the new set
tiers were becoming more numerous
than the old citizens; and that an
admission of these settlers TO the
franchise after three years. residence
would mean complete transfer Of
political control to a new set Of peo-
pie, differing in thoughts, habits,
taste and language from the folk
that had heretofore possessed the
land. Under these conditions the
settlers became discontinued. They
complained that they were neither
given good administration nor the
constitutional means of securing it.
That being much richer than the old
burghers, they paid nearly all the
taxation, but had no voice in the dis
posal of the revenue, Agi,ations,
tending toward reforms, were tried.
but they made little Roadway IN the
Legislature, which consisted chiefly
of oId,fashioned Beers.
A plan was accordingly formed
Tor rising in arms against the gov
eminent, at the head of which was
Mr.. Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister
of Cage Colony. and director of the
British South African Company.
He engaged with him in this con-
spiracy Or. Jameson, who was TO
carry 1t out. Jameson was to attack
J Johannesburg with force of armed
men and mounted police and take
possession of the government. A
day was set for the latter part of
December, 1895. The plot failed.
Jameson was stopped by a hastily
sum moned Boer force, and obliged,
with all his men, to capitulate.
All Of the recent troubles in South
including the present war,
are due to the Jameson Raid. 1t,
reused the Dutch feeling to fever
heat. The Orange Free State, which
had up to that time condemned the
exclusive policy of President krn
ger, concluded a treaty with the
Transvaal, by which the two re-
publics bound themselves to support
each other If .upjustIy attacked.
The two political parties were now
divided by race feeling, which be-
came identified with the two races,
and passion ran high among them.
Things went on thus from bad to
worse. The Beers seeing that moth.