New-York tribune., 1900-01-26

TRANSVAAL CONDITIONS.
ToHN HAYS HAMMOND TELLS OF THE
GRIEVANCES OF THE GOLD MINERS.

A LIVELY DEBATE BETWEEN DR. Ross1TER W
RAYMOND AND s Y WHITE OK THE PRO
lection OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
A.. meeting Of the Plymouth League the social
,-ranzation OF Plymuoth Church. held last night
.,5 presided over by DR.. R ". Raymond, an address
-ss made by John Havs Hammond, the mining
engineer who a prisoner in the IransNaAl
because Of h.s connection with the Jameson raid
fss--f5irs The Boer conditions and the reform
movement Of 1885 and 1896. The lecture haH was
wei filed. IN a discussion that followed the ao-
dress Nj Hammond. IL answer to question
warmly declared that every statement he had made
u-ss susceptible OF proof by public printed oocu-
-aents OF the Transvaal Government, and other
unquestionabe evidence Upon this.' he earnestly
added. 4 viii stake my professional reputation
and my honor American citizen who intends
long 10 remain here. Mr.. Hammonds's address
IN part as follows:
Il has been asserted thar the Beers Of the Trans
vsal did not wish 10 have its mines deyeioPso- Pee
This is IudicrousIy untrue. When. in lSs+: Mr.
kruger published the cordial invitation Of the
Transvaal Government 10 immigrants bringing 3 SAP
ital and enterprise, gold mines were ALREADY WoheI
the TransvsaI. and the burghers we're more man man
the country was g bad way. financially
Under the promises given by Nj kruger OF rT JUS
s,tS s. Beee7ber iss5 In the discovery Of the
goa zails of ne Rand Outlanders who developed
those mines bought the lands from the Boer owners
ot!en al large prices Mr kruger himsed navlhs s &
5o- aSda9nal p e 1 s OF Old D3s PS fac tbai fbe
vas causing the abandonment Of prospecting and
the surrender OF these options was one or the rea
Of the universal protest from the Beers them
selves against the severe treatment OF the leaders
ernment @ n short the oers have aixays been and
sti anxious 10 sell their lands for mining pur
poses and 70 pocket the proceeds
ENTERPRISE AND SKILL NEEDED.
The reason Of their Dissemination TO work the
mines for themselves is easy to And It has been
important gold district in the TransvaaD are very
r1ch On the contrary, they are what is known as
-nschi5erv capifaI and scientific aid cannot work
n with profit ONLY operators on a large scale
with al the aids that science and capital fur
was furnished il this instance very largely, not
neers who had acquired the Pacific Coast the
required knowledge and experience
vestments Of European capitalists the one hand
and the technical direction Of American engineers
would not have achieved any signihcance.
As 70 The Sresent production Of gold. I can only
mines Of the Rand had been developed so as 10
show reserves Of ore for two or three years in ad
vance Since that time. as I understand some Of
re mines haV oeen operated by the Boer Govern
l1eTI- W2leh Is Simply using UP these reserves
without regard 70 their permanent value Il is
easy 70 get temporary profit from mine in that
rights Of posterfty.
We made common cause with our employers in
the attempt 10 resist the plunder Of their prop
erIy through unjust and unlawful extortions.
tolera bic comprising exorbitsnt taxation; govern
@ 81 ne asaL o. pero1aat ss1 s -,
right Of pesceable assembly for the statement Of
grievances; and the denial OF representation, upon
reasonable conditions OF franchise. for interests
representing more than tvyo-thirds the population
more thsn one-half the land, more than nine
the taxes paid in the TransyaaL However. our
had been defeated by a law depriving that tribunal
Of lis independence and making il the creature of
the viii Of the President. The so-called Constitu-
tion Of the republic was amended from time 10
the Legislature and the dctation Of the Executive.
sno nsd no greateF PeTTanenee than any ordinary
cl1aea rom the schools, which our money sup
even when the fudge counsel Iirigants and VIII
nesses II q lawsuit all understand English per
use of English was forbidden and the use Of
pauois enjoined.
BLED BY PRIVATE MONOPOLIEs
The patronage BY the Government Of favored
aole articles necessary 70 the Oqtlanders, and the
zines 5,+s eu{ L not 70 ne Beers It extended from
Ihese nonOPoHes oid not 90 70 the Government
small returns while individuals grew rich from
mem, the Government secured its revenue by ad-
An instance Of such Government favor 70 private
Pay in which members OF the Government we're
81 ms -oaa 6 5r,;cs ne [dt7s- raef q II G5egts charged
- the mines amounted 10 10 cents a ION a mile.
under similar conditions about one cent a ton a
Inlle five cents ton mile is recognized as a
-os5.al maximum charged for roads extensively
n1liL ana operated over steep mountain grades
ne Pacific Coast and i cents is enough 10 paw for
-reE1spoTtaton by OK team across desert. In fact
% eFsoe q payment OF this outrageous railroad
the Old method and Started m EaT +bea LIE ~ 5aIn IN
= leans On discovering which the Government
.ssleo an order forbdding the passage OF the
- - tIof1s) on the route. This was done with
IS me line and the rates OF the favored rail-
ACCUSES KRUGER OF BAD FAITH.
Ar Hammond told Of the circumstances which
lea up 10 the Jameson raid, and defended the
johannesburg Reform Committee from the charge
ol q oesertion OF DR.. jameson He also told Of the
e-sarrlarnent Of Johannesburg save the lives Of
Jameson and his men and continued:
M krugeT's lack Of good faith was abundanrIv
sIo@L - ~ Ifoughout the negotiations. He endeaYored
ti--o~ Gust u tne eyes OF the Europeans and
gam z sympathy which he did not deserve for a.
: - me ne was actively pursuing the scheme Of
conspiracy which would drive England from
south Africa altogether. and esta bIisb F3oAr sIl
pIT-Ih1cy from the Zambesi River the Cape
IN I9y judgment, the recent ultimaturn of the
Boer Government. followed bv lis irs+s1t f,I-.st1E
- ne bIlush colonies Of Natal and the Cane was
loIe-1 HpSh president KRUGER by his ina hjlifv 10
soLuol any longer the widespread conspiracv he
as9 eaIel5iIy z ol-lt up Great bodies OF ignorant
Anc The hope Of swift Conquest Of Fngiis6 go, 81
& celoIe & .-lezisd could prepare for It's defence
too sIeaL % De resisted Dy those who did moi
Flghty estimate either British yaIo- ,- t5-s+tIL ny
- - - F.eslasni hruger. I think knew better
800 -ol nelp himself. That none bas taar
elsapponted Not one place OF ir11orfsI1 s rs @ Peen
nsss oS - Ile EGeIs, Notwithstanding the yTes K
- q 1he English garrisons. Thev have go n
- me time Of their only possible o-,Tot, -s,o IN
matter how I6ng +S psolntmenr at hand No
s-sr1Ia warfare, their plan was s- aeft sG-eIlslve
and u has utterly failed al Intensive one
GRIEVANCES OF THE or-Tr. .,yr,1,ns