The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-03-22
of English in the public schools; we
demand representation in the Raad.

OF EngllSh In the public schools; we
demand representation in the Raad.
On their face, these demands look
just and humane; and the more senti-
mental will look upon these demands
as the pleading of much prosecuted
people, who have become the victims
of a race of intolerable bigots. Let
me tell you how one of those Boer
bigots look upon those demands. Mr..
Steyn, as he related the story to me,
said: You Americans are quick to
resent an injustice upon human rights.
Your institutions are the most liberal
in the world, as they have the power to
inculcate within your minds that
broad liberality in free government,
the object of which is to look upon
fellow being as your political equal.
And so I'm not surprised at you sym
pathizing with our enemies. [ say
enemies, because they are; if not by
nature, then by design.
You seem to forget that South
Africa was originally settled by the
Dutch; you seem to forget that Cape
Colony was once the home of our peo-
pie; you seem to lose sight of the fact
that our people have been pushed and
driven back into the wild and savage
hinter land as soon as the land was
free and profitable to be occupied by
the British, and we in turn acting as
their pioneers of civilization in the
more wilder regions, only to be robbed
of our fruits on the slightest pretexJ.
You do not believe that the mineral
wealth of the Transvaal is the object
of this latest demand, lat this time,
1890, the Transvaal had the fever of
'49) and this sudden influx of humani-
ty gives the arch conspirator, Cecil
Rhodes, his long sought opportunity
for political power, do you? Well we
do. We see in it the political ex-
tinction OF our people and we but look
upon past history to substantiate our
theories. Accordingly, we have band
ed ourselves together to thwart their
designs, even to the preparation for
war, if it must be, for sooner or
later they will try to overthrow our
government and usurp power.
They say our laws are unjust and
intolerable. What of it? We did not
ask them to embrace form of govern
ment offensive to their natures! If
they do not like our laws, let them
depart and leave us alone.
The Outlanders are recruited from
all nationalities. Among them you
will find Americans, French, Italians,
Germans, and in fact representatives
of nearly all nations. Now then, the
British represent but ten per cent of
this population, the Germans and
Americans outnumberin them three
to one. Does England presume to look
upon this population as her subjects
with patriotism, or does her shrewd
politicians see in these people another
excuse for land grab?
We nave reasons to believe that the
latter reason is the more plausible. 1
confess that under more favorable cir
cumstances, our present laws would be
rejected by our own people; but as it
| is, they are enforced from a political
necessity, for in the enforcement of
our present laws we feel that our
destiny as republic is favorabIy as
sured. But to accede to their (Out-
| landers0 demands, would mean politi-
cal suicide and the final determination
of our race politically if not mortalIy.
They say we are not civilized and
are but slightly above a form of bar
barism. Have you in your long jour
ney and migration from Delagoa seen
or experienced the assault upon your
person from Boer farmer? Was not
their crude surroundings made pleas
ing to your tastes when you were priv
ileged to abide in their humble homes?
Look about you; do you see anything
in this, my home, that bespeaks the life
and ways of a barbarian? Are not
our schools models of their kind and
are not our ways the ways of civilized
people? Have you ever seen such
] bOnhOmie displayed in Enpland2