Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
UNION OF SOUTH AFRICAN STATES

ing war inevitable. And later on. follow
ing the premature annexation of the two
republics in May and September. 1900
and while the Beers were still In the
field defeating often the British forces
the British affected to treat the Beers
not as belligerents, but as rebels. Their
houses farms and cattle were burned.
confiscated or destroyed, their lands dev-
astated. their families. gathered into
Concentration camps like SO many cat
tie. where they were the victims of a
frightful mortality. 1t was more than
enough to leave in the hearts of the
Boer people feelings of hatred which
were deemed impossible to eradicate.
Great Britain. however. often reverses
her policies when least expected. For
example the veritable
Judgment culprit responsible for
the burning of Alexan-
A'eseiseo' dria and the massacre
that preceded, was incontestably Arab
Pasha. The latter was tried and con-
victed. but sent in exile to Ceylon. On
the contrary, Suleiman Daoud, who obey
ed Arabs order to burn the city. was
tried. convicted and hanged.
Article of the peace Of Vereeniging
was a reversal of the policy OF persecu-
ton followed until now in the Transvaal.
1t said: The military administration Of
the colonies of the Transvaal and Orange
will be replaced as soon as the circum-
stances permit by representative insti-
tutlons involving the exercise of free
government"
Mr.. Chamberlain, 1t will be remembered.
after having provoked and promoted the
war in the Transvaal by his aggressive
policy countersigned the Anglo Boer
accord, which promised equality and in
dependence to conquerors and conquered
alike.
The exploits of the Boer generals. Louis
| Bo;ha, Christian De Wet and Delarey,
contributed greatly to this apparent,
generous policy of England, which rec
ognized thus the prowess Of the Boer
soldier.
Nor should the liberal policy now man.
ifested in South Africa be attributed en-
tirely to the liberal party. The ministry
presided over by Mr.. Balfour, the sue
! cessor Of Lord Salisbury, in 1902. made
known to parliament in July. 1904. it's in
tention to introduce reforms in the Trans
yaaL
Mr.. Lyttleton, minister of colonies, in
his dispatch to the government of the
Transvaal. dated March 81, 1908, ex-
planned that it was not possible then to
accord to the people Of the former Boer
republic the plenitude Of its rights of
government because it was feared that
it would provoke race rivalry. but there
would be admitted into the assembly "a
majority of those elected, so that the
inhabitants would be assured of the max
imum of independence compatible with
the stability of the administration And
this was taken to mean that 1t was a
trial trip" preparatory to further indie
pendence.
The details Of the movement which led
to the South African unicn are not with
out interest at the mo-
union ment the new government
Moyomar+ starts out on its new life.
Toward the close of the
year 1906 Lord Selborne. who was an cx
perienced diplomat and of a very concil-
iatory and generous nature, replaced Lord
Miner. The latter was the contrary of
his successor. To Miner the concession
of the autonomy Of the Transvaal and
| the Orange colonies was grave i'm
prudence which prepared the exclusive
| domination of the Beers Miners Ideal
was an Austral Africa, completely Angli-
cized. Lord Selborne, wiser head, was
| not Of that opinion. The Beers had shown
themselves not only a brave people, but a
virtuous and civilized people. They mer-
| tied consideration. The Transvaal and
the Orange state had lived for q half
century under the republican form OF
government and without interior troubles.
the accident Of war.
Lord Selborne in entering into relations
with the four colonies soon perceived
that their union was the only efficacious
remedy for their difficulties. Jameson.
who raided the Kruger government, was
now premier minister of Cape Colony.
But Jameson the raider was equal to the
occasion. He was told that the fedora
ton was inevitable. and Jameson bowed
to the inevitable and actually waited
upon Lord Selborne to beg him to exam
inc the project OF federation.
Lord Selborne wrote a memorandum to
the governments interested and to the
government at London dated January Z.
1907. This document, entitled Resume
Of the Actual Relations Between the
South African Colonies" set forth the
nature and the causes of the obstacles
which prevented the development Of the
colonies.
The publication of Lord Selborne's MEM
orandum gave impulsion to the object in
view, and "closer union societies" were
formed. Olive Schreiner, as we have said
heretofore, is entitled to much credit for
her publications. which were widely read
and which generalized the views held by
Lord Selborne.