The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-08-23
SOUTH AFRICA'S
FUTURE BRIGHT
PREMIER SAYS THAT NATIVE
PROBLEM is THE MOST SERIOUS
ISSUE.

LONDON, August Among tine
many notable figures assembled here
recently to bear their share in the
founding of new South Africa none
stands out more prominently than that
of the Right Hon. J X. Merriman,
Premier of Cape Colony. He went to
Africa when years old sixty years
ago. He entered politics in 1869, and
for forty years has kept at it.
I'VE all look forward with hope to
the future of South Africa" said Mr..
Merriman, discussing his momentous
mission. There are difficulties ahead
and problems to be faced, but the diff
ficulties and the problems are not al
ways those talked about in England.
You mention the racial division be-
tween the Dutch and the British. There
is no true racial difference, and any
trouble in that direction is largely
stirred up by writer's at home. They
remind us of things better forgotten
and try to keep them fresh. 1t is a
pity they were not better employed.
The Englishman and the Dutchman
are of the same race The Dutchman
has all our unpleasant qualities and
many of our god ones. He is as pug
nacious, as determined as obstinate,
as disagreeable and full of angles as
we are. He shares our love of sport.
If a Dutchman from South Africa were
to walk into the room now you could
not distinguish him in speech, in man
ner or address from an Englishman.
These are not two people, but one, and
they are bound to work together more
and more in overcoming the great
problems with which they both alike
are confronted. The biting and scratch
ng days between them are over. Leave
them alone. The so-called racial EN-
nifty between Dutch and British IN
South Africa does not exist and pre-
sents no problem to be solved.
I'm South Africa and in many other
parts we have the white and the
coored races face to face, struggling
for supremacy, and it has yet to be
shown what the outcome will be- This
| is a problem, of course, not confined 70
South Africa, but we have it in its
most acute form. The difficulties OF
the native question are bound to be
vastly increased by the action of some
of the so-called friends of the natives
who are taking what I believe to be an
injurious and disastrous line in raising
| the native issue over the passing of the
act of union.
THE proposed Constitution for a
United South Africa maintains the
status quo of the native in each prov
! ince The only new restriction passed
new that is to the Cape Colony--is
that natives, while allowed to vote anC
to become members of the provincial
councils in that province, can not sit in
the Legislature of the Union. over
this controversy is threatened.
THE new Constitution is not a copy
of that of the commonwealth of Aus
tralia and the Dominion of Canada,
Mr.. Merriman continued. 1--WE have
gone further than either of these, and
have in many ways radically departed
from their precedent In United South
Africa there will be only one Parlia-
ment and that Parliament will be SUI
preme in all affairs. There are nc
separate State Legislatures. Provin.
cial councils are to be appointed in the
different sections of the country, but
these councils will be wholly subject to
the supreme authority of the central
Legislature. No possible controversy
between Federal and State rights can
arise, because United South Africa will
be one great State