Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-03-07
A Statement Of the British Side oI
the Controversy Which Re-
suited in War.
BOER RULE BECAME lNTOLERABLE
They May Be Fighting for Liberty,
But Even Liberty Must Bow
Before Civilization.

Thomas G. Sherman, in New York Times:
In 1884 Paul Kruger was in London. He
was so poor that be could not pay his ho-
tel bill and il was paid for him by gener-
ous Englishman. He then expressly and
publicly invited Englisbmen and Americans
to settle in the Transvaal and to conduct
mining there.
Mr.. Kruger afterwards sold one OF his
own farms to Englishmen Tor $500, 900,
paid in gold. His friends and nsiehbors
sold other farms ut even greater prices, re-.
ceiving altogether from foreign settlers
principally English, although including a
considerable number Of Germans. French
men and Americans), many millions Of
dollars.
These foreigners produced every dollars
worth OF wealth which can be exported
from the Transvaal, and every dollar in
excess Of what will suffice for a very bare
and dirty existence to the old residents.
Every dollar OF the wealth now possessed
by Mr.. Kruger. his sons.in-law, his officials
and indeed any part OF the Transvaal pop
ulation, has been produced by these set-
tiers.
The taxes levied annually in the Trans.
vaal have exceeded s2O,OOO,O 900. Nine.
tenths OF this amount has been collected
from foreign settlers, whom Mr.. Kruger in
vited into the country.
No appreciable part OF the taxes is ex.
pended for the benefit OF the foreign set
tiers. II this sum were equally divided
among all the Beers it would furnish an
annual income OF about $4,000 for each
family which would pay three times over
all their living expenses.
No such equal division is made, but half
these taxes have been spent in making pre-
parations Tor war, and the other hall de-
voted to the payment Of enormous salar.
les to and jobs for Mr.. Kruger, his sons.in.
Jaw, friends and political supporters. Mr..
Kruger, himself, has avowedly received
S35, 900 year salary. while, on repeated
occasions, sums of SIS, 900 and S25, 900
have been paid out OF taxes for his direct
and exclusive benefit as appears by public
records. How much more has been spent
without public record can only be guessed.
His son-in-law and private secretary pos.
sesses, (so says Mr.. Hillegss), single
house costing $3.50. 900 and rolls in wealth
besides, as he must to support such a
house.
The official records In Transvaal law.
suit arising upon b quarrel between two
sets OF Boer blunderers, show that every
Boer official worth bribing including Kru-
gers son.in-law. received bribes from a
Boer railroad company. The amount OF
each bribe was set forth in bill oiparticu.
lars filed in open court. Not one OF these
men ever denied the receipt OF these bribes.
The foreign settlers, exclusively, built
Johannesburg, a fine town, with Formerly
$4,000 inhabitants. They ~eren merely
denied any right to govern that city; they
were denied any municipal government,
whatever. This ia proved, not only by
the explicit statements OF Mr.. Hillegns, the
American representative OF the Beers, but
also by proclamation by Paul Kruger,
himself. dated January, 1896, copy OF
which have. Mr.. Hilegas states that not
$5 could be expended in repairing a road
or bridge without first receiving express
authority from Pretoria.
As consequence OF the total lack OF
good judgment, the death rate in Johannes
burg has been constantly three or four
times as great as even in our badly gov.
erned New York. There is no use In com.
pairing it with ordinary mining camps, be-
cause johannesburg is a fine city built by
intelligent and educated men.
The foreign settlers in the Transvaal
were denied the right t. bear any arms,
while every male Boer, from 16 years old
aud upward, is heavily armed and drilled
at the expense OF the foreigner.
By a press law, passed for the avowed
purpose Of crushing foreign settlers, all
newspapers were placed at the mercy oI
President Kruger, who can suppress them
at his pleasure.
BY another law, passed for the same
purpose, all meetings OF more than seven
persons in the open air are absolutely pro
hibited, while all other meetings can bt
dissolved in an instant at the discretion o.
any policeman.
Another law was passed absolutely pro
hibitina the presentation by any foreigners
oil even 80 much as II petition for redress
When Mr.. Kruger invited foreigners to
settle in the TransvaaI, full naturalization
could be obtained within two years. Al
ter foreigners had accepted his invitation
he repealed all naturalization laws, abso
lutely. Then, under pressure, he restored
the laws. but made the term IA years, bu,
any foreigner desiring naturalization must
renounce all protection even from his own
government or the Boer government, for
IA years, during which time he must be a
citizen OF no country whatever, and would
have no rights which any Boer would b,
bound to respect. During these II year.
he must be ready to serve the Boer army
on 12 hours notice, and he would be fire.
quently called upon to serve without pay
clothing or even food, which he must pro
vide for himself. At the end OF these Ia