The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-08
CAUSE OF THE B0ER WAR.
CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ROM
EIGNLRy BECOME ,ITiZi VS..

since tho war between England and the
posrs bopan there has been considerable dis
cussion as 10 the form Of oath which the South
African RcpublIc oxaotcd from all persons de-
airing 10 become fu'l citizen, Of that country.
7, tho I'uitol states. a. Is well known, tho
candidat for citizenship when announcing his
,r,.n,ion of Incoming naturnliZcd Is not re.
ouIred 10 take an oath Of allegiance to the
United States upon taking out his first papers,
and he remains until the dav 81 his naturaliza-
tIon n subject, u the country from which no
comes. Not having been required TO forswear
his allegiance TO that country. no Ia under It's
protectlon until no is officially declared q
citizen Of the United States, with fun
citizenship papers. for hot until these
pnpcr are given TO him docs no for
swear alI.g ance to tho country Of his birth.
Agreat many advocates Of the Beers have con-
tended since the trouble in South Africa be-
cam acute that In the matter Of the oath "X'
acted by the Transvaal Government the con-
ditions are no, different from those In this
country and that the grievances Of the uitlani-
ers or forcign-born population arose wholly
from the fact that in order 10 be-
come naturalized they were required to
have what seemed TO them too long
n TpsIltDtb lu Nv III nv lNs'"
tiations preceding the war, only extracts
OF which have been published here. the oath
was mentioned as one OF the chief grievances.
Assertions have been made by persons con-
versant with tha trouble that tho Transvaal
made a man forswear allegiance TO his conn-
try and thsn required him t. live continuously
IN the Transvaal for twelve years 2e'oN' ac-
coriing him the right OF citizenship. his status
being virtually that Of the man without .
country THIS assertion has brought, forth
denials from many quarters. hut II would seem
that those who made them had not carefully
studiei the text ofthe negotiations.
The Transvaal Government, II appears from
the report otthe conference between Sir Alfred
Miner aud President Kruger at Bloemfontein
last May, has since lSS2, required that all per-
eons at the time Oi announcing their intention
and desire Of becoming iull. citizens with al!
the franchise rights OF the burgherS. should
take an oath for5wraring allegiance to all other
countries and particularly to the country from
which they came. by the peculiar law % the
Transvaal when the burghrrs contend was
made for its protection against foreign inya-
elon, a person DESTROYS OI eventually obtaining
the franchise must. upon his arriva! in the
country, register his intention and at the sam
Tim" take the oath 10y which lac forfeited his |
citi2cn-hip Elsewhere. At the expiration OF
two years after taking this oath the right was
given to him Of yoting Tor members OF me
he continued to register his intention earh
year in the manner that he did at first. Four
years after, the first registration he receives
elected by the residents OF his district. but I'M.
der the laws in fore" At the time OF the con-
ference at B,ocmiontein It was not until ten
years from ms time or fourteen years after
his first registration that he received the full
possessed by the burghers or the
right to vote for members OF the, Nolksraad
in it or to vote for President. As tho
tolksraad possessed the power TO veto
any law passed By the lower house, it
was thus in supreme cuntro, Of lrgis-
At the Bloemfontein conference which
Of any agreement. SIR Alfred Miners
proposals as given in his despatch To Mr..
J une 10 wer': a. Tho full franchise after
five years residence, t2l to one who had de-
clared his intention TO reside permanently IN
the TranSvaal. g and who had taken an oath
citi2enship and to defend the Independence OF
the Transyaal.
given in Sir Alfred Milner'- despatch was that
O newcomer should obtain naturalization but
not the full franchise after two years provided
he had registered his intention, fourteen DAYS
Il Had given six months notice OF in
~ had, registered for two years con-
81 had resided in the republic dur
Ing that period. had, undergone no di.hon-
oring sentence, 90 had given proof Of obedi-
ence to the laws, 90 had given proof of full
htate citizenship. q was in possession OF a
amount Of property, and ~ hal taken
nm oath similar to that enacted IN the Orange
Free State. After becoming naturalized
upon compliance with these terms. according
the full franchise i've years from the
late OF his Naturalization. providing he had
registered every year and had continued TO
with the terms above mentioned. The
oath mentioned as required in tho Free State
Of persons intending TO become naturalized
simply one Of fidelity, hut 1t can he seen
from these terms that upon becoming natural
ICED after two years and slA months residence.
a person would Toe conpellrd TO forswear
ALE glance To his former country and yet in
must wait five years more. IT would thus
be nine years before he possessed any control
OF legislation.
Sir Alfred Miner said of this to Mr.. Cham.
berain IN his despatch regarding the confer
ence: Under TIN. plan a majority would not
because the scheme retained the
unfortunate principle by which a man must
his Old citizenship for a number OF
years before gett,n g full burgher rights. my
view being thar, however long a period Of resi-.
dence was fixed before, a man became a
full rights on taking the oath OF allegiance"
Further light Is thrown on the question Of
the oath in the verbatim report Of the Bloom
conference as given in the green book
OF the Transvaal government. This was
in fun in the LordOH Times later Sir
Alfred Miner, the British High Commissioner.
said TO President Kruger that under the laws
OF the Transyaal then in force it took fourteen
years. or a. Kruger proposed, nine years to get
the iull franchise. British subjects, " he said
TO Kruger, have to take an oath whereby they
lose their citizenship and then they would have
TO wait still twelve years. or according to tho
new pan seven years, before becoming iull
bnrghnrN ,~
pie are thep-elvcs the cause Of this. In 1870,
the law shli a resllehcc Oh ono year got the tnll
In lNSl, however, after the war OF
Independence, some officials and some mem
bers OF the Rad said they We're stiil residents
o. Great ,Brlthlh, anu as "A consequence the
Transvaal had 70 pay, indemnity to treat BRIT;
AIN lur money lukeh rom tnr ptoplt to, defend
the STATE, nbtWlIllSIlI1lnE nultnpy nal sworn