The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-10-13
INTERESTING WEEKLY LETTER
FROM PETER WYNN
Tells of Conditions in South Africa
Since Boer War-Carnegie Tech
nical School at Pittsburg to be
Famous Ironmaster's
Monument
BY Peter Wynn.

/ Copyright, 1908, by the Burke-Stow
News Service.)
Since the Boer war South Africa has
pursued the even tenor Of her way,
with very little of Importance sufficient
to warrant chronicling IN the outside
world taking place. Now there comes
an astonishing bit of news from there
| to the effect that consolidation of the
/ four large colonies is being talked of.
| Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal, and
the Orange River colony would make
a state of nearly half a million square
miles, or five times the area of Grea.
Britain and Ireland.
There are many obstacles in the way,
however and some of them at the pres
| To begin with, there is the question of
debt Two of these colonies have
alarming deficits, the Cape and Natal
/ Ever since the war the revenues have
been falling off, and each year there
has been a large deficit at the end of
| the year. In Transvaal and the Orange
River colony on the other hand, there
have been surpluses ever since civil ad-
ministration has been established It is
thought there might be considerable
difficulty in persuading the two pros
porous colonies to assume the burdens
I of the two smaller.
The question of trade Is an important
one also. The largest factor in this
+ question is that of railroad rates. The
railroads are all owned by the govern
ment, and each state has been in the
habit of fixing its own rates. The chief
revenue of Natal is derived from the
through traffic of her railroads, and
this is also very large source of rev
nue. to Cape Colony Obviously the
interior colonies will demand cheaper
rates. The tariff. too. will be another
( subject of discussion.
BY far the most important factor in
the proposed union is the race question.
/ In all of the colonies the number of
natives far exceeds that of the whites.
who are divided into the British ana
the Dutch. Just what franchise priv
ieges shall be given, or what represent.
alton shall be apportioned the six mil
hon inhabitants promises to provoke
Amost endless discussion. A conven-
tion will be held at Durham. October 12.
for preliminary discussion.
Andrew Carnegie, millionaire phi
iahthroplst, has indirectly announced
that he intends his real monument TO
he in the form of the Carnegie Tech.
meal School of Pittsburg, and not In
the now worldfamous libraries. He
mas, through prominent people of thu
Smoky City, made known the author
ration of the expenditure Of ten mil
non dollars more on this celebrated
educational institution. With the plans
completed which are now being consid
cred, this would become the greatesr
school IN the world Arrangements are
oeing made now for its enlargement
on a colossal scale. Judge Burlington
and William Metcalf' .Tr., two well.
known Pittsburgers, were called /,
Scotland within the last few weeks and
the plans for the great school perfected
at Skiho castle.
ihe Carnegie school already boasts
OF l,20O pupils, but the recent reports
from the trustees indicate that the in.
stitution was altogether inadequate for
the demands on it by the rapidly in
ereasing membership. With this pro-
posed munifcent gift Carnegie will
have bequeatned $20,0O0O00 to this
school, and while Judge Burlington and
Mr.. Metcalf would make no public an
nouncement of Mr.. Carnegie's detailed
plans, il is known that the worthy
owner of Skibo intends to make this
school the principal bearer of his name
to the generations that come and viii
keep giving his wealth to the school as
long as it's needs for expansion demand
it.
The whole scientific world is just
now interested in the recent address
made by Professor Sir G. H. Darwin,
president of Trinity college, Dublin,
Ireland, at the annual meeting of the
British association in which he devel.