The Red Cloud chief., 1902-06-06


The war In South Africa was
brought about directly by the refusal
OF the Transvaal government to al
low the foreign element of the pOpula-
ton to have a voice in public affairs.
and a like refusal to continue in force
certain railway and other public util-
ity franchises, controlled mostly by
British subjects. But the indirect
cause was a elimination of unsat!s-
factory conditions extending over q
period Of almost a century.
From the first the Beers, Dutcn
farmers of the Cape. were always i'll
trouble. Their uncompromising spirit
led them still farther afield and mo
strife with the natives. The relations
of the white men to the black caused
the first friction between the British
administration and the old settlers.
In 1884 the British government RE
solved to emancipate the slaves ani
parliament voted 500, 0O0, 900 (SlOO,-
900 ,000) for compensation. Abolition
ruined the West Indies and started
disaffcction in South Africa. The
$4,000. 900 set aside for South Africa's
share of the compensation was made
payable in London and the unfOrtu-
nate Shareholders were compelled 20
sell their claims at reduced prices to
middlemen. This caused rebellion and
another trek farther north. Among
the trekkers was Paul Kruger. then a
boy OF 10.
The irreconcilable Beers fell In
with the Matabeles and had many a
fierce encounter with them. After
numerous vicissitudes the Transvadl
became a chaos OF lawlcss Dutch. Ba-
sutos, Hottentots and half-breeds liv-
ing in a chronic state Of turbulence.
The Orange River Colony, then the
Orange Free State had been thrown
off by Great Britain, greatly to the IN
dignation of its inhabitants, who de.
manded compensation for the with
drawal of imperial protection, which
was granted. The Transvaal mean
while was threatened by the Iulus and
kaflirs. the farmers HOUSES We're IN
protected and at the mercy OF the
savages. and though IL is probable
that the Beers would have been a
match for the combined forces of the
natives it is certain that at the time
they did not think so, but welcomed
British protection. Sir T~heophilhs
Shepstonc, with twenty-five mea. At
the request OF the Beers themselves
annexed the country. and ever Paul
Kruger accepted a paid Office under
the government.
With Kruger in Office the Beers be.
san, in defiance OF treaty Obligations,
a series OF movements that neCessitat-
ed a British expedition To drive them
out Of Bcchuanaland, Goshen and
Stellaland. at IA cost OF a million or so
to the British taxpayer. Naturally the
British hold up these Boer raids, in
defiance OF treaty Obligations, as an
Offset to tho jameson raid.
fIom this time the new 'Transyaal
Republic" set out on the path of in
dependence that ultimately led to the
war. Gold was discovered in the
Transyaal in 1856, 1t was Il field for
elaborate machinery ana for immense
capital. These were furnished by the
%uitlanders, drawn from every race un-
der the sun, but with the Anglo-Celtic
vastly predominant, The mining cen
iers like Johannesburg became full OF
varied life and Afforded "A strong con
trast to the Dutch headquarters. These
~ultlauders largely outnumbcrcd the
original inhabitants OF the TranSVaal.
They were heavily taxed and badly
used and they dcaiencd Great Britain
with their cries. There was not "A
wrong which had driven the Boer
from Cape Colony that he did not
now practice on others, \ wrong IN
1885 might have been cXcGsable; In
1895 il was monstrons.
In short, the Beers could not stand
the lust for gold. Their primitive var
tue vanished. The farmers were still
untouched by the new greed, but the
corrupt oligarchy at Pretoria, with Its
nepotism. its accepting Of brides for
valuable franchises, its dynamite mon
opoly. its crowd of greedy Ho!landers
who handled the stream OF gold en-
torted by way of taxation from the
miners, gave an exhibition OF Nenailty
and cor, Iesion IN the last degree alb
horrent ID all rlght-minded ana I'M
partial observers.
The |uitlander was compelled 10 pay
nine.tenths of the taxation; "as
deeced at every turn and laughed II