The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-21
THE UNION IN
 SOUTH AFRICA An Absorbing Public Topic. IT $ NO VISIONARY IDEA Appfehnsions Still Remain, How
 ever, Regarding Convention. Such Rsluctance To Accept The Con- stitutien Has Its origin in . Ner- vous Anxiety About The ColoreA Vote.
IT $ NO VISIONARY DEI
BY J. M. EGAN.

BY J. M. EGAN.
 Cape Town, March 2o-During the last five months, union has been the absorbing public topic in South Africa
 The convention opened in October with high hopes. not unmingled with some apprehensions. and. though some apprehensions remain regarding the result of its labors. 1t Is safe to affirm that tho hopes have been more than realized. Few of the delegates thought the convention likely to be an affair of more than two months at most. The mere fact that these representa- tive men of the five South African states felt it worth their while to give their time to producing scheme to compact. 50 comprehensive, and so carefully thought out. is one of the best indications that union Is no vision ary idea of a few enthusiasts. but the fixed aim of the best political thought in South Africa.
 If nothing else had been achieved, the four months of constant inter- course between the Ministerial and Opposition leaders of the various states would have accomplished more than has ever before been done to re- move misconceptions and create sym pathy among the different states. Coming as they did with very different ideals and policies, the delegates. if they have not abandoned their own prejileotions, have often come to realize the strength and reasonable ness of those held by others. Even on the difficult question of the capital which threatened at the last moment to estrange friends and embitter discus sion, the compromise finally attained shows that all parties to the contro- yersy have learned that there was more in their opponents case than they were at first disposed to believe Causes of Difference.
 Perhaps of all the causes or dlrier- ence which existed before the cohveh- ton. the strongest is still the particu- larist feeling of the states. but that IS not likely to be permanent If the Con stitutton Is adopted. while its strength hastenei to obltterate the more serious | racial differences. When men Hke General Botha, Sir George Farrar. Dr. Jameson, MT. Sauer, General Hertzos and Mir Browne have found them- selves fighting shoulder to shoulder TOT a common interest they ana their sup norters will find 1t difficult to fight on the old battle ground of racial distrust Racialism, in a sense. is not dead. noi will 1t ever die, any more than Frencf and English racialism IS aead III Canada: but one can hardly believe that after the convention, raciaiisn will ever be the dividing ground ol political parties or more than spu' to equally worthy. though differing ideals of life.
 from the Convention, that the Soutf African sense of nationality Is awaken ling. Interstate commercial co-opera tion has been foatered in some degree hv Sir Pteter Bans Union. and the rail way returns shows that the interstate carriage of South African products II increasing. The need of taking com
 mon measures of self-defense IS begin ming to come home to South Africans and the question of coast defense hal occunied more attention than in th' mast. Nor does the awakening O. South African nationalism indicate an! weakening in loyalty to the Empire The other day one of Englands stur diest adversaries In the field. stiil dogged Dutchman. was saying no merely that the grant Of responsloi' government had helped 10 eraoicat' the bitterness caused by the war. pu that even more had been accomplished bv the open handed invitation extend ed to the Dutch by Great Brltaln U share in great Imperial responsibilities The chief srumbles against Engian' coma from some English who are dis appointed in not obtaining what the! thought was their just share or powe in South Africa.
 Their Interests Neglected.
 Cavaliers sometimes say. because ift tie was heard during the convention of the natives. who form the iasse mart of the population of South Africa that their interests have been neglect ed This is not so. First. one of thu chief inducements to union has peer the feeling that wiser. more cohsls tent. and more deliberate native al ministration would be possible unde one central Parliament than with multiplicity of counsels. Secondly, th' existing privileges of the natives art preserved and intrenched as never oe
 fore and there Is no danger that theI interests are likely to be neglected.
 premier Merriman's speech In Cap' Town on Monday last, may De sald t' have consolidated opinion in the Cap' pentnsula in favor of the acceptance O the Constitution. and 1t has provided the opportunity. for good deal or dis eussion both on the platform and in th' press. On the same night Sir George Farrar explained the provisions of thu Constitution to an audience composed chiefly of working miners in his owr constituency, Boksburg. who carried { vote of confidence in the work of tho lconyention by an overwhelming majority. MT. Moor. at a meeting ir Pietermaritzburg at the same time, me- with a less satisfactory reception. A resolution was passed condemning "tnf unseemly haste with which the consti' tuition is being forced upon the coun' try" and calling on the government t6 dissolve Parliament At Durban where the Premier of Natal has since delivered a second speech, the opinior of the meeting was fairly evenly divided between those for and those against the constitution.
 Enthusiastic Welcome.
 General Botha and MT. Shuts took the field together in Pretoria. and had an enthusiastic welcome from an enor' nous gathering. The people filled the Opera House. and stood in hundreds fl the street outside. No resolution was