Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-16
SOUTH AFRICA
IN TURMOIL
ENGLAND IS CONFRONTED WITH
CONSTANT WAR WITH THE
NATIVES.

/ i"uC INC o'ol0uISuI IudC Iuc SCdC0S-
men of the future must keep their
eyes fixed on the African continent.
II appearances count for anything at
all, that English statesman. Sir H.
Campbell Bannerman, will be obliged
to keep his eyes on the African con-
/ tinent whether he is anxious to do so
or not. To say nothing of the trou-
bles over the new constitution and
questions relative to the exploitation
of Chinese labor in the mines of the
Rand. the new government of Great
Britain is likely to be confronted with
war among the natives of South AT
RIGA as long and as costly as the war
now being carried on by the German
government OF course, civilized peo-
pie always understand that war with
the aborigines of any section of any
continent end with the defeat and
sometimes with the extinction of the
aborlgines. Consequently the game
is one in which the native never wins
But the trouble is that the natives do
rot understand these things and they
sometimes keep right on fighting willy
nilly.
The latest official bulletins from
Natal describe everything as quiet,
but such a statement gives a wholly
el erroneous idea of the condition of
things. For a long time the natives
0 Natal proper have been getting oui
o: hand and adopting an attitude to.
ward the authorities and individual
whites wholly inconsistent with Brit
ish prestige. Magistrates have in
some cases been openly defied. while
in other cases attempts to conect tax
es have met with passive resistance
Gloss over the Affair.
Owing to the desire of the govern
ment for peace at any price in most
instances this conduct resulted in
nothing more than a black mark Ell
tered against the Offenders But the
BErnetown incident, however local in
its immediate effects, is regarded as
an unmistakable symptom of native
feeling. In the single case of the
/ trouble over the collection of taxes
with Mapumulus people an armed
demonstration was reluctantly decid-
ed upon, but the force was hurriedly
recalled before it reached the district
owing to the Byrnetown affair. The
Byrnetown magistrate, instead of con-
tentinS himself with confidential re-
port on the attitude of the natives,
asked for police support to enforce his
authority. The result was that an in
spector and trooper were murdered,
while the remainder of the troop re-
tired in disorder.
I Then there was hot running fight
The murderers were finally located in
a strip of bush extending about Is
miles. Half dozen of them being
wounded, were caught and imprson
ed, and as a result they have been
talking quite freely regarding the en-.
tire matter and their associates in the
uprising.
AS nearly as can be determined at
this time the movement has emanated
from the religious sentiment of Ethio
rianism. While it has not met with
the universal support of the natives
still ike all religious movements amone
ignorant peoples it possesses elements
OF danger. In some respects it close
ly resembles the famous ghost dances
SO often INDUCED in by the North
American Indians. The information
TIC hand points to a close connection
between the Elandskop Philippians
and the educated natives at Umkom
mas. The very fact that educated ma
tiyes are tngled up in the trouble will
it is believed, make the situation al
the more difficult to deal with. Blu
the perpetrators of the outrage mus
certainly be dealt with. 1t is argued
that the Natal government SHOULD
avail itself of the presence of imper
lai troops to test definitely the atti
tade of the natives.
They Fear to Act.
The immediate collection of all tax
es by magistrate backed if necessar,
by mobile columns is urged. Thu
trouble appears to be that no Nata
ministry, whose existence owing t.
the exigencies of responsible govern
mcnt, is at the best of times precar
!, ious, is anxious to give the opposition
an opening by mourning heavy add
tional expense at moment when i
!, can hardly meet ordinary expendi
lures. Accordingly there is consider
able eagerness to avoid bringing mat
, tiers to head, and to hope that thing
will settle down.
The trouble appears to be tina
there is no disposition for things t
settle down." On all sides there ar
warnings from friendly natives tina
trouble is brewing, although it is gen
orally agreed that the kaffirs have NJ
Il n.