Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-14
STORM CLOUD IN TRANsvAAL
order suppressinE importation Of
Chinese Nay Make Trouble for
Great Britain.

LONDON, January 13-(Special Cable
gram to The Bee.)-During the closing days
of the campaign leading up to the general
elections new Issue has been injected into
the politics of the United Kingdom. And
while the conditions are such that there is
not a shadow OF a chance that IL will affect
the general results Of the election. in case
the liberals win, as everyone appears agreed
that they will. the issue gives promise OF
looming up large and strong in the politics
Of the empire, II not in world politics. II
is nothing more nor less than the announce
ment Of Prime Minister Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman that the recruitment and
embarkation OF Chinese coolies for South
Africa must be stopped forthwith 1t is
freely predicted that in the event OF the de-
feat OF the conservatives and the triumph
Of the liberals many OF the leading British
officials will resign and give up all attempts
TO pacify that territory which has SO re-
Gently been the storm center of the world
and which gives promise of becoming the
storm center OF the world In the not far
distant future.
JOHANNESBURG. Jan. 13-(Special Ca
, blegram to The Bee.)-It begins to appear
as though the Transvaal government had
stolen a march on the government of Sir
Henry Campbell-Bannerman in the matter
of the importation OF Chinese labor. In
fact the joke is really on the home govern
ment, and on the liberal prime minister es-
pecially. The people of johannesburg know
more about this subject of Chinese labor
than the thousands OF liberals who cheered
the prime minister at the conclusion Of his
Albert Hall speech. in which he announced
his intention Of putting a stop TO the bring
| ing in of the Chinese. OF course the entire
matter smatters something of a campaign
dodge. since the premier doubtless intended
| his supporters TO jump to tho conclusion
that not single other Chinaman would set
| foot in the Transvaal. He did not tell them
| that an additional shipload Is now on the
water and that permits for II, 800 more have
already been signed and granted by the
Transvaal government. And the little
Joker" so far as the prime minister is con-
| cerned. is found in the fact that these II, 800
| Cinnamon will enable the mining industry
to carry on comfortably pending the formal
decision of the Inhabitants OF the colony.
which will be the same whether under rep
resenative or responsible government.
The interesting question really is, what
will be the attitude Of the liberal govern
ment toward these permits? II II compes
the governor to repudiate them. not only
will the home government be muicted in at
least 900 by way OF compensation, but
the situation will become genuinely serious
here. If II allows the permits to hold good
no harm will be done. johannesburg has
kept its head with good reason.
On the other hand, the action OF the lib
eral government may be stated to have
alienated all Of its friends In this colony
with the exception OF the professional agita-
tors. These people, even when opponents
OF Chinese labor. resent the suspension OF
the experiment by the mere ipse dixit OF the
liberal cabinet as gratuitous encroach-
ment on the liberties Of the colony which
may even lead to further interference.