Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-06-16
union CT SOUTH
AFRICAN STATES
How Cecil Rhodes Cream Of
Empire Was Realized.
GREAT new ERA OPENED UP.

Whole United Country Expected to Be
Wonderfully Strong AmaIsaration.
Business of Its Provinces Will Be
immense-Adninistrativs Offices Of
the Government In Power.
Cecil Rhodes lies buried these eight
years on one OF the Matopo hills that
he loved and left fund TO preserve
and beautify. and yet so clear was his
vision OF the future that In his will
he left his estate and house. De Groote
Schuur. "fOr residence for the prime
minister OF the federal government OF
the States of South Africa when con-
stituted" The Union of South Africa
has now been formed. and where
Rhodes foresaw an inevitable fedora
ton a closer tie has bound the erst-
while colonies OF the Transvaal. Ma
tai, Orange Free State and Cape Colo
ny, reducing them to provinces and
raising them. welded as one. 10 a state
of high dominion.
The fourth South African customs
and railways conference met at Pre-
toria on May 4. 1908. for the purpose
of dra wing up new customs agree
ment and settling some intercolonial
disputes over railway rates, but the
delegates turned at once to the far
greater issue which lay behind these
and on May 3 passed the resolution TO
form draft constitution
This national body met at Durham
on Oct 10. 1908, and the delegates in
Guided such men as Generals Botha,
SHUTS. Hertzog and De Wet and DR.
Jameson. DR.. Smartt and j. w. Sauer.
Constitution Carefully Revised.
In secret session they agreed to
unite. and the convention was ad-
journed Nov. to reconvene at Cape
Town on the 23d of November There
this closer union convention in Feb
ruary brought its deliberations to a
cluse. having successfully elaborated
a draft constitution. which was sub.
united in March to the parliaments of
tue different colonies sitting stimuli.
tHneouSly
The chief difficulty was in reconcil.
ing the interests Of the coastal and
inland states. but finally the thing was
settled TO the satisfaction of each sep
arate parliament. and July |. 1909.
saw nineteen delegates including the
four prime ministers from the col
ores In London 10 watch the passage
OF the bill through the imperial par
liza ment.
Only minor changes were made in II
and it received the royal assent on
Nov. 20 Ii provided that royal
procla might he made within
a wear OF the pasSi..s Of the act to the
effect that the four colonies should be
united In one government under the
name of the Union OF South Africa
and provision was made for other ter
ritorieS joining the union later
The administrative Offices were t.
be governor general appointed b.
the king ~ a salary OF $4,000 IA year
aud an executive council. which would
br 4 cahinet of advisers: the Legislative
branch. senate composed of eight
members from each province and
tlGUt dppOInttu Di me
house OF assembly with fiftv-one
members from Cape Colony. thirty.
six from the Trar ~vaal. seventeen
from Natal and seventeen from the
Orange Free State
Great Busir ess Outlook.
The membership IN both houses is
limited to persons ct European descent
The new union will have an area OF
almost 100000 square miles. taking in
the southern end az Africa and extend
Ing from the Atlantic TO the Indian
"cpdn II will have population of
about 5.500.O00. one~hfth Of whom are
WHITES.
The combined business of it's prov
incrs will be immense In 1907 the
IMPORTS Of Cape Colony amounted TO
aver $24600OOO0 and the exports to
over $222. 100000 Natal in 1907 had
imports amounting 10 S33 100000 and
exports TO S4SOUO0O0 The Orange
Free State in the same year figured its
Imports and exports both in the neigh
turhood OF S1SOUOuG0.
the Transvaal founded in 1881 by
Beers from Cape Colony. values its
imports nj over $TSoO0.OO0 and it's ex-
r.orts at more than SlIG00O.a0O.