The Washington times., 1904-07-14
THE BOERS AND
THEIR HISTORY

old Dom PauTs life story is iucom-
plete without the story OF the struggles
OF the South African republics.
More than n century ago the Dutch
migrated in considerable numbers from
Holland To South Africa Many went
To Cape ColoHey and some went along
the shores for four or five hundred
miles east of the Cape. The first real
settlers, though. went 10 the Cape in
1852 TO establish "a reitting station for
the Dutch East India Company when
their ships rounded the 5outhernmost
point OF Africa.
But in 1875 Cape Colony fell into the
hands of the English. il was restored
10 the Dutch in 1902 and four years
later recaptured by the English. who
wished To hold the region as their half
way house on the way TO India The
Dutch were finally glad TO leave the
coast and push inland and set up q gov
eminent Of their own.
In 1896 and ISIS, 10000 Beers as they
are sti0 called. migrated with great
difficulty. lighting the. way against
native tribes who were fierce warriors
and settled IN and west of Natal. From
lhdU ua\ 10 THIS issues have arisen re-
ldtng to English claims. and innumcr-
able conflicts have taken place. of which
The last one bore a close resemblance.
Centered on Mines.
The last conflict centered i'm and
around the unnaturalized aliens. When
diamonds were discovered. the Bimber-
ley mines opened-metals, producing. as
they have. S7O.C00.0c0 worth of diamonds
and S2l0.000,000 worth OF gold in four
teen yegrs-and the rush TO these fields
was great. The population soon reached
to above $4,000 five-siXths being Eng
fish. Australians, Scotchmen. Ameri-
cans. and others. The remaining one
sixth We're Beers. who Insisted on the
control of Dutch political affairs.
Many of the towns did not indicate
the presence of the DUtchman except
the Beers usurpatiOn of the right to
rule. Five years ago the English
speaking settlers owned 81 per cent of
the real estate and 90 per cent OF the
personal property OF the TrauSVaaL
They paid about fVe-SiEths OF the eE-
penscs Of the schools, wherein their
children were taught the Dutch only.
kTuEer's government has thus been
able to retain original rights only by
denying the franchise 10 outsiders In
1881 all immigrants could be naturaliZed
in two years. then the limit was eX-
tended 20 I'VE years, and IN 1885, II was
extended TO fifteen years. At last the
President granted the franchise to all
1892.
Were After Gold.
Kruger asserted. and stout.y main
A~laiHA li.F Ati~lAlDil- A4itil tli nue.
dug gold out of Dutch land that Ee
came TO South Africa FOR that purpoEc
and therefore he ought to be satisfied
with his gold ard let the original set
tier rule his country.
There was force in the argument. as
we'll as in the man. RE knew that II
the Outlandcr got control Of the govern
mcnt they would aid the EnElish-spe Ik-
ing people in acquiring the republic
England already asserted that she bold
tho suzerainty Of the republic. the LAT
ter being authorized only To rule its ir-
ternal affairs. The BOer replied that Et
once owed allegiance 20 England bat
that she surrendered her suzeraintv Dbl
a treaty. which Is known as the Lon
don convention. The Outlandcrs were s.,
restless that they We're likely 10 embrOi
the two governments. and then they
cast their lots with England.
a prominent BOcr. in reference 70 q
petition signed by 20. 00o Outlanders ask
ing for enlarged rights. said that 81
they wanted more rights they would
have 10 fight for them The stubborn
hold on political affairs maintained by
the Beers was in the main owing 4
the political influence of Dom raul
and the war which followed was due [,
that same influence.