Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-23
BOERS' HOPES HIGH
Dutch oOlonists Hope to Hold Balance Of
Power in South Africa.
THREE COLONIES AFFEC-, = PROGRAM
Cape, Orange Ere ~ Transvaal to
MAY VII. - 5 POINTS LOST IN WAR
WI. - 5 POINTS LOST IN WAR
Hst Volk Onie and Eund Work Together
Against British
ORIENTAL IMMIGRANTS A PROBLEM
Hnrshness of Law in south Africa
Causes Protest to Government
on Part of Chinese
Merchants.

JOHANNESBURG, DeG 22-(Specisl)-
At last the political campaign in the Trans
vaal may be said to have opened. The pre-
liminary maneuverng has taken an un-
considerable time, but the forces are now
fairly in position. True the army of Het
Volk has not reached the ground but the
sympathies of its leaders are so well known
that no one doubts upon which side its
forces will be ranged up.
In the meantime the Boer generals OBJ
serve a discreet silence regarding their
plans. There is reason to believe that no
orders will be issued until practically on
the eve of the fight. But drilling is quietly
and vigorously going on. The Boer electors
will march to the political battlefield ready
to the last shoulder strap. The ideal which
animates them is unmistakable. The power
lost In war is to be gained in politics By
keeping the British divided and maintain
ing machine-ike unity in their own ranks
the Dutch leaders figure they can hold the
balance of power in their hands once again.
The contest is something more than a
struggle over an industry. Getting down
to bedrock It must to large extent decide
the place South Africa will take in the
empire. Probably the bund will win the
next election at the Cape, certainly the
Unie will dominate the Orange River col
ony; the odds are that Het Volk will hold
the balance of power north of the Vaal.
Thus right through the center of South
Africa will be driven a wedge Of Dutch
governments, Dutch institutions, Dutch
ideals,
Trouble with OrientnIs.
The Transvaal. like the United States,
continues to have no end of trouble over
the orientals. The last Asiatic ordinance of
the Transvaal legislature, passed in Sep
| tember and now awaiting imperial sane
| ton, has carried racial distinctions to
degree which has caused the Indian and the
Chinese and the Japanese residents to pro
| test.
The Indian association Of the Transval
has had a deputation in London for some
weeks urging that the new ordinance
should be vetoed and royal commission
issued to examine the treatment of coll
| ored people in British South Africa. This
deputatlon has seen the colonial secretary,
Lord Elgin, and the secretary of state for
India Mr. Morley. The latter has spoken
of the injustice and the harshness of South
| African policy towards British Indians; of
the bar sinister" that is placed In some
British colonies upon many millions Of the
kings subjects: and In some instances, Mr..
Morley adds for the liberal government,
I'VE can more effectively demonstrate with
foreign powers than with our own people
in the colonies"
The Chinese association Of British South
Africa has even gone to the extent Of
sending one of its own number, Mr.. l.. M.
James, a Chinese trader of johannesburg,
to London for the purpose Of enlightening
the British public concerning the injustice
and humiliation inflicted by these racial or
dinances Interviewed just before his de-
parture Mr.. James said that his association
was in reality not concerned with the sub
ject of Chinese labor on the Rand. He said
that he represented Chinese merchants and
traders resident in the country who in the
Transvaal number about 1000, and 1900
throughout British South Africa. He said
what they objected 20 was the degrading
laws preventing them from riding in tram
cars, and other similar measures.
Large Industrial Plan.
One Of the most interesting undertakings
of modern times is the harnessing of the
Victoria Falls to supply electric power to
the Rand and to the innumerable devel-
| opments Of Industrial life in the Transvaal
and Rhodesia. 1t is easily the largest single
project Of this character in the world. The
history OF the enterprise is very simple
Zach nationality has realized the need OF
South Africa for cheap and abundant sup
ply of power. Previously attention In
Germany was only directed to a scheme foI
a coal power station on the Rand. Experts
were early this year in Johannesburg ar.
ranging contracts on behalf OF the proposed
Victoria Falls Power company and thithel
, simultaneously came also two engineers oi
the German Allgemeine Electricitats com
pany 70 investigate the possibility of the
establishment OF a large steam driven sta
, ton for the supply Of the mines. The ides
OF utilizing the Victorian Falls was ther
quite new to the German group. When
! however they realized the probable require
ments Of the country 1t was at once ap
parent that ultimately the water powei
I must be the only satisfactory mode Of sup
. ply The idea Of using Zambesi wate
power, natures own reservoir Of power
! was then quickly taken up. Its scientih,
4 possibilities had even been previously ex
{ amined by leading experts, such as Mr.
Q Ralph d. Mershon OF New York, Prof
! Blonde OF Paris, DR.. Tissot OF Bale ant
. signori saldini and Scotu Of Milan, beside
. the chief British engineers. All agree,
that the project was technically and com
mercialIy feasible and this induced the Ger
man financial group, IN which the Dresdene
bank plays a leading part, to come in"