The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-27
NAkING A NEW fRkNSYkAL
WHAT TNE DOERS NAVE DONE
no REPAIR WARS RAVAGES.


Crsps Nsw CROWNS d the lDsssaated
IARd-Ihe Pespie FURRY cheerful
Under British Rule apital Needed.
A repai ration officer. whose duties have
taken him TO all parts Of the Transvaal
since the close of the South African war
writes as follows in the London Tt1n's
| concerning his observations:
in a little over twelve months no one
can expect the ravages Of nearly three
wears war to be thoroughly repaired; but
TO one like myself who travelled over the
country Immediately after the declaration
of peace, who has been continually trav-
cling over the country since. watching
the progress Of the work Of restoration,
and who has been over it once again quite
recently, the ex, rao rdinary rapidity with
which The recovery has been made Is as
founding. The fir, trek revealed nothing
but devastation desolation, blockhouses
and barbed wire.
The last trek revealed houses buih up;
cattle, horses and live stock OF all descrip-
| tions grazing on the velo +, immense tracts
Of ground ploughed up; roads and drifts
| repaired; outlying towns, formerly IN ruins,
| now not only rebuilt and prosperous, but
growing with extraordinary rapdny. one
found all the parapbernalia OF local gov
ernment police. migist rates and onicals
of all kinds. One found everywhere pros
pectors and others bent on the develop
ment of the country, no doubt for the sake
Of their own and for their principals
| pockets, but at the same time benefifting
| the State. One saw schools full OF happy
children. One came across new settlers,
full OF courage, enterprise and hope. One
visited settlements of Dutch and British
| side by side, eterinined TO taxi" their part
| in the building up of sucd essful roI.tiunl-
| ties There was the country, hardly free
! from the visible signs OF war, and in spite
of all the setbacks and difficulties en-
countered since its conclusion. beginning
! to assume the aspect Of hourishing colony
inhabited by hopeful and determined
people.
Mistakes in the local administration OF
! the work have doubtless been many. A
great deal has been done well and a good
deal done badly, but the net result is more
| than satisfactory. All this has meant an
| enormous amount Of energy and fore
! thought, and firmly believe that the hand
which has unwaveringly directed the des-
TIMES of South Africa will be felt long after
| the memories Of the war have become
memories of past centuries.
"The policy of looking upon the Boer as a
| British subject from the moment he became
one has been carried out from the beginning.
Great Brit ain at any rate. can rest content
| with her work Of resettling the former
inhabitants of her new colonies.
But there is still another side OF the
question TO be considered. How do the
Beers themselves look upon what has been
done for them and what are their feelings
toward their new Government? The answer
to this question must to very great ex
tent guide our future policy in the new
colonies.
Personally, / believe that the average
Boer has distinct feeling OF gratitude
for what has been done for him, and that
he is fully aware of the magnanimity Of
his new Government But his gratitude
is to degree discounted by the uncertainty
of the future. The great majority are in
the Governments debt; and it is the doubt
as to how far their share OF the free gift OF
g 900 900 will get them out Of debt which
looms largely in their minds.
ITO my mind the hardest task is still
in front-namely, the collection Of debts,
the just assessment Of claims, and. above
ALL the fulflment of promises made. 1t is
the manner in which this work ia carried
out which will determine the attitude to
be adopted by the greater proportion Of
the Boer population. Ii must be carried
out with the most scrupulous fairness
and the utmost tact, and no promise made
by us must remain unfulfilled
The Beers do not accept the new order
of things without considerable misgiving,
and the hurt to their national pride cannot
be at once healed; but fully believe that
for the most part they have faith and con-
fidence in their new Government, and that
their confidence will be kept so long as we
carry out our professed principles of in
tegrity and fair play. But, if once lost,
it will be well-nigh impossible to regain.
II is difficult task which faces the ad-
ministration, but one which, if carried out
well, will have lasting effect on the future
OF the country.
what have stated above applies 10 the
average country Boer; but there are two
other classes still to be considered. First,
there are the temporary irreconciables',
and these, am afraid exist to a very con-
siderable number They are led by clever
men, and their attitude is hidden by an
Inward mask Of passive acceptance. So
long as anything can be got out of the
Government their true feeling will be kept
in check. but when once they have OBJ
tanned all they think possible they may be
expected TO show their hands.
This class requires governing with the
greatest trmness, and any indication Of
sedition or open dsloyalty must, be in
SANITY suppressed. 1t is only by firm.
though scrupulously just, handling that
these qloudam irreconcilables will in time
fall into line with the rest But if they
are allowed free hand and open sedition is
winknd at, they will become a source of
considerable political trouble In the future.
There IL yet one other class, although
but a small one. These we may call the
permanent irreconcilables' And il is from
these that the chief danger may arise
They still share with their cousins OF the
Cape Colony the aspiration Of some day