The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-07-01

Republic, or T~ransvaal. England re-
cognifed the independence of both the
Orange Free State and the Trans
vaal in 1852.
But she was not done prosecuting
the Beers by any means, and In 1857
she found an excuse In conjunction
with Portugal and shut the Beers off
from the sea in the Delagoa Bay re-
gion, and as diamonds had in the
meantime been found in a part of the
Orange Free State, England seized
this district $50 she could protect the
natives"
Since crossing the mountains the
Beers had to struggle continuously
against the natives, and in 1876'77
it seemed doubtful if they could lon
ger hold out against them, so Eng
land stepped in and drove out the ma
tives and took possession for herself.
The Beers disliked this, and in 1880
81 they ~revolted and won their free
dom again by the independence of
the Transvaal, except in treaty max
ing powers.
THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD.
In 1885 BechuannaO Land to the
west was seized by England. Gold
was found in the Transvaal in 1886.
In 1896 occurred the infamous ia
meson raid, which was nothing less
than an attempt by some of the Eng
lish in Cape Colony to seize rich min
ing property in the Transvaal by
force. Jameson was defeated, cap
tured and sent to England for punish
ment. But his punishment at the
hands of the British government was
by no means what the gravity of his
crime demanded.
The discovery of what soon became
the richest gold mines in the world
drew great crowds of people from all
parts of the world, and at the begin
ming of the present trouble this for
eign population outnumbered the
Beers. The Beers saw the ruin of
their hopes approaching. For years
they had fought and worked for free
homes and self-government. They
had been followed up by England, and
finally shut / nand surrounded so they
could not move again. They hadwarred
necessarily with the fierce Zulus and
Basutos. Their freedom that had
cost them so much was threatened
again. Naturally they made an effort
to keep In their own hands the rule of
the land they had conquered and set
tied. They taxed the Outlanders
heavily and enforced the fourteen
year franchise law.
The Outlanders outnumbering the
Beers, and paying large taxes, de-
manded more representation. Now
the Transvaal government, being in
dependent in the management of it's
own internal affairs, had a right to
say to these people: This is our coun-
try; you came here not to remain
among US citizens, but to get rich and
return to your own lands again, and
while you are here you must obey our
laws; if you don't like them you can
return home"
But the Outlanders wanted gold,
they must remain awhile to get it.
So they petitiomed England, demand
ing more lenient franchise laws, a
better judiciary, and better school
laws. What they really wanted as
regards the schools was that they
should be taught in the English in
stead of the Dutch language.
ENGLAND's DEMANDS.
Though England had not the shadow
of a right, under her treaty with the
TransVaal, to interfere in the internal
affairs of that country, she, neverthe-
less, sided with the Outlanders, and
demanded of the Transvaal govern
ment: Cd a five year franchise law;
% larger representation in the
Volksraad from the mining districts;
CD reforms in the election and work
ing of the judiciary; (4) reforms in
the school system.
In the long discussion hat followed,
with it's arguments and delays, these
points were brought out:
First, England not only insisted on
her first demands, but made them
more severe, finally demanding the
equality of the English language with
the Dutch in the Volksraad, and offer
ing the Beers English protection in