Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-16
POLITICS BREWING
IN SOUTH AFRICA
FEDERATION TO COME INTO
BEING NEXT YEAR
Host of Men Produced Who Are Con-
Vinced They Are Intended
for Members of Par
Lament

JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 15.-South
Africa has more politicians to the
square mile than any other part of
the British empire. If it does not
breed many statesmen, it at least pro-
duces a host of men who are con-
vinced that a far-seeing Providence
intended them to be members of Par
lament. 1t grows politicians as easily
as mealies. The stranger travelling far
from CapetoWn to the Victoria Falls
finds himself involved in a political
argument 1900 miles long. Every
body has views. Nobody has views
which quite coincide with anybody S
else's. And everybody is inspired by
deep desire to convince some harm
less stranger that he alone is right
and several thousand other politicians
are hopelessly wrong.
The farmer sitting on his stoop, the
mining magnate in his office, the clerk
drinking his II o'clock cup of tea the
trader lounging in the backveldt Kaf-
fir store-one and all are willing to
lay down their several tasks at a mo-
ment's notice and indulge in the lux
ury of an endless political debate. But
the whole tribe of politicians is sorely
troubled. None can tell what the
divisions will be at the first general
election for the Union parliament next
year.
First General Election
The position is this. A federated
South Africa comes into being on June
l. 1910. On that date a Union cabinet
will be ready. AS soon after that date
as the constituencies can get them
selves delimited there will be the first
general election. Obviously political
parties must be formed. But what
will the parties be? This is the point
at which politicians stick. Programs
do not matter much because all the
programs Of all the parties contain
the same platitudes. Personalities are
more important because many people
prefer a leader to a principle. Most
important of all is it to know what
the parties are likely to be. And up
on this matter all South Africa waits
anxiously for a lead.
Is the country to have the old par
ties which, under a thin disguise and
despite a few exceptions, really mean
British versus Dutch? Or will there
be young South African party formed
of the progressive leaders of both
races, prepared to do battle with do
nothingism of the Hofmeyrs and Hert-
sogs of the four colonies? Shall the
division ultimately be between coast
and inland, or that high protection will
be ranged against low protection, or
agriculture enter the lists against
mining, or a white labor party Wig
orously oppose those who believe that
the provision of an amply supply of
colored labor ought to be the be-
ginning and the end of South African
administration?
Doubt Prevails
AT the moment none can say It is
difficult enough to suggest what will
happen South African politics is so
purely South African. Politics is COM
plicated by conditions which exist here
alone. 1t is impossible to say that
because Macdonald and Brown did
such and such a thing in Canada, and
Barton and Deakin adopted such and
such a course in Australia, therefore
South Africa is likely to do so and So
For assuredly South Africa would do
nothing of the kind.
Theoretically the most obvious course
is to have a coalition ministry repre-
senting both white races and all four
colonies Union provides South Africa
with a clean slate-heaVen knows she
has needed it badly enough. Are they
going at once to write upon it all the
old battle cries? The essential thing in
South Africa today is to place the new
machinery of government on a firm
order The four sets of old machinery
in the four colonies forming the union
have to be gradually displaced
Plainly this will be long business,
and at the same time a business apart
from party warfare. 1t is work
which should be done by the co-opera-
ton of the most experienced men IN
all parties. 1t does not call for the arts
of the electioneering orator. Coalition,
as it's advocates freely admit, could not
last forever. But during this pre-
liminary work of firmly establishing
the union there is no cause for war.
The founding of a proper union civil
service, the Capitalization of the prison
system, the arranging for police and
defense and railway management, etc,
are not subjects which need necessarily
provoke fierce party battles.
The ideal coalition ministry would IN
clude General Botha and DR.. Jameson,
Mr. Merriman and Sir John Fraser, eX-
President Steyn and Mr.. Moor. It
would represent all South Africa, and
it's work would be to establish al
United South Africa on the firmest pos