The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-13
\ south African Constitution

south African Constitution.
/ The celebrations attending the inau-
guratioD the mon of South ..ss---sa, the
VISIT of the Duke of CoNNApasT, and
the many public festivals and ,ageants,
have ohscured 10 certain extent the
work Of the convention that WAS con-
S'immated in Nh" opening of the Union
Parliament. The Constitution that this
convention produced was almost UNI
known Ia the bulk Of the people until ia
Official publication. M quietly and per-
s'stently had IN. delegates labored that
during the four months Of their task they
gav" IN" public scarcely an inkling of
their intention. Yet the result was of
peculiar interest. not only because il
was the Constitution of new State. but
because 1t might be- expected to embOdy
improvements upon all that had pre-
ceded il.
lhe many questions Of representation
and policy that must be- settled before
the plan Of Government could be &C
cepted ~ complete have been referred
To- The manner in which they were
met showed in many instances a knowl-
edge Of expedients IA well ~ statecraft
The representation in the Parliament
was necessarily "A matter Of importance
but in comparison with some other
measures was easily adjusted The
very rule that the voting power of
every white man was to be uniform was
made subject To qualification in order
To give some advantage To the two
weaker COLONIES The original number
of members Of the Assembly Is thus
not in proportion to the white popula-
ton for instance. Cape Colony and Trans
vaal, which upon n strict population basis
would be entitled tn 81 and 81 respec-
lively. were allowed their 81 and 10.
Natal and Orange Free State, which
would be entitled to IL and Il, re-
ccived II each. Each State. rs in the
nlted States. was To return. irrespec-
tive of population, two Senators.
Regarding the representation Of the
native races. the course OF the conven-
ton was described as though logical.
was eminently practical Cape Colony
IN the past has given the right To vote
10 qualified natives: the other colonies
denied it. The difference of treatment
was continued by the Constitution.
While Cape Colony had admitted the
right Of natives to sit in Parliament.
none had ever been elected. The con-
vention merely confirmed the rule that
no natives should b. sent 10 Parliament
The language question WAS solved by
granting equal rights Ia Dutch and Eng
lish as the official languages. and the
name of the Orange River Colony was
permitted by the convention To revert
To its old Dutch name Of Orange Free
state. The question Of the site Of the
capital gave rise 10 a bitter contention
that was finally settled by making Pre-
tOria the seat OF administration and
Cape Town of the Legislature.
While the Constitution provides for a
central Parliament. with powers Of abso-
lutte authority over every other author
Ity in the Union. il remains 10 be seen
how far this central Government in
prhCtlCt Will oNfITuIe DIDNlntldt regis
latiOn. In fact the strength of home
rule in South Africa is vet TO be settled
The evident intention of the trainers Of
the Constitution was 70 give ,he Union
Parliament all possible opportunity to
conform itself 20 wider spheres Of gov
eminent bv allowing the provincial coun-
cils To manage within certain limits such
local affairs as roads. municipal needs.
markets and education.
There vet remain however. some Of
the most serious problems for the new
State, which were considered by the
convention either too difficult Of solli-
ton or impossible under then existing
conditions Both parties appear Ia ap-
prove white immigration ana 10 oppose
immigration OF Asiatics [ pom the qles-
ton of imperial defence and consolidn-
ton there seems u be no great differ
enCe. But there Is no clearly defined party
policies on the extension # the l'nion.
tariff. prohibition or native labor and
these all seem fruitful matters for dis
otisslon and differences that must sooner
~ later come before the new PA rliament.
"