The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-18
RECONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH
AFRICA.

are widely, IL not wildly, contradictory,
the weight OF the evidence shows very
unsatisfactory condition Of affairs. Natu-
| rally, the situation IL an Improvement on
the days Of the war period, but 1t is evident
that there IN confusion and discomfort,
and that the hopes of speedy reconstruc-
ton entertained few months ago are
not finding realization.
There has been disappointment in the
receipt and distribution of the Develop
ment Fund which was promised. The
Beers feel that political conditions bear
heavily upon them, and that England ID
now doing much which they were con-
demned for doing in the days OF the
Uitlander protests. Throughout the entire
tangle there runs the deeply serious labor
| question, to which we have referred In
earlier issues. While Gen. Botha's recent
vigorous letter OF complaint and protest
may have been, and very likely was, over
drawn, it was not entirely without justih-
| cation. That such a race as the Beers
should lie down and, like whipped ours,
submit to anything and everything which
their conquerors might see fit to impose
upon them, is not to be expected. On the
other hand, the very fact Of their defeat
| and the soreness which necessarily
follows, might we'll be expected to make
them unduly sensitive and unwisely re-
sentful, blind even to that which may
| be strictly necessary, and even to that
which may be intended in really kindly
and liberal spirit. Both justice and gener-
osity, when extended to those who have
been punished, are particularly difficult
when the punished see no Justice in their
| punishment In that fact lies perhaps our
own greatest difficulty in adjusting our rela-
| tions in the Philippines.
| Settlement has proceeded very slowly
and at an enormous expense to the Govern
ment. It was reported on July 23 that
| up to that date more than 81, 500 900 had
been expended in connection with the
Transvaal Land Settlement scheme, while
the settlers numbered only 9ls thus max
| ing the cost for each settler more than
| $4,000. 1t was also reported that 1458
horses had been purchased for breeding
purposes in the interest OF the settlers.
| 1t was stated that each horse had cost
the Government $500 by the time the ami
mails reached the settlers. Some are OF the
| opinion that South African settlement
schemes are largely visionary. From the
| nature of the country and by reason OK it's
! location in reference to the markets Of
the world, South Africa now is, and must
| long remain, essentially wilderness In
| which are located a certain number Of
| potentially prosperous mining camps. This
Is a fact which is readily possible OF
demonstration, and which the English
attempt at settlement in the country has
thus far amply supported. The mines of
South Africa are, and will long remain,
the chief reason for the occupation Of that
| country by an energetic and progressive
| people.
The immediate outlook FOR the prosperity
Of the Transvaal mines is heavily obscured
by the difficulties presented in the labor
question. The same il to he said for the
general development scheme by the eS-
tension Of railway lines and the installa-
ton of irrigation systems. Much has been
done by the mine owners for the resstablish-
ment of their industry. This is shown
by a comparison Of the value Of the output
before and after the war period. For
the twelve months ended on June 80, 1899,
preceding the outbreak Of the war In Octo-
Der OF that year, the value OF the gold
produced by the Witwatersrand mines
was a little more than SIS 100000. For
the twelve months ended June 30, 1908,
the gold product Of the same district was
little more than $45 900 900 The prin-
cipal factor in this limitation has been the
insufficiency OF the supply of native
laborers.
The exceeding seriousness of this matter
appears not only In the commercial and
industrial phases Of the question, but also
in the whole political question. Upon
the successful operation of these properties
there depend the revenues of the country.
and, beyond that, the fund proposed for the
reconstruction of the Transvaal Failure
to develop the mines to the extent of their
capacity means general industrial paralysis
and default in the revenues. A labor sup
ply is therefore imperative, There seems
little hope Of obtaining a sufficient number
Of employees from among the native people
The protest which has been made against
the importation of indentured laborers
from India, China or Japan is becoming
less vigorous, and 1t now seems probable
that the mine laborers will be recruited
from the East and the Far East This plan
may solve the problem of labor for the
mines and for the various projects for
railways. irrigation, and other public
work, but it introduces other problems
Of no little gravity.
That the land offers no place for white
men, beyond a limited number of positions
already filed IL fairly shown by the re-
ports of the Rand Aid Association OF
Johannesburg During May last that
organization cared for, fed and clothed fifty
one men. Thirty-nine of these were e1-
soldiers Of the English Army. When labor
Ia in demand, ex-soldiers have no need to
apply to relief organizations. What is
wanted Is cheap labor. The resources
of the country for several hundred miles
In all directions are being dragged by
active agents. There are laborers in
ample abundance, but they will not labor
and cannot be made to labor, except by
some process Of semi-slavery, which is of
course impossible Of adoption. Importa-
ton may become imperative to avert
financial disaster from the country.
England may be glad that she has ac-
CURED control over South Africa at any
cost, but it has become evident that a
good many items were omitted from the
prospectus.
The Georgia vagrancy Law and the
LynchIng Problem.