Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-03
The South African Nation.

| a new nation has Decil polh III -
RIGA and the Beers have accomplished
the principal results for which, they
| fought ten years ago by peaceful
methods The new nation lhcludeS
Cape Colony Natal, the IfansVaal
and Orange River Free state at the
present time There is strong pos
sibility that within the near future
| Bechua naland and Rhodesia will come
into the confederation and help 10
| form = nation which is territorially,
at least. worthy to be considered ohe
of the great nations of the earth'
There is possibility that British CEN
| trail Africa, British East Africa anu
| British West Africa will be taken liilo
| the fold in the distant future Inc
now urion embraces the best portions
az tIe African continent thus rich i'll
natural resources so Tar as Is now
known and those whose resources have
| heen most highly developed.
| The territory is peopled largely by
| Boers. English colonists and the ma
five blacks. The blacks are without
franchise so that the ruling power lies
| with the Beers and the Afrlcandrrs.
The government is modelled after that
| of Canada. with the usual relations to
| fine british crown. 1t differs from
Canada and Australia i'll being per"
mcatnd with Il national spirit winch
makes It to all intcnts and purposes
| a nation by itself.
| Never before in history has a con
u,lrred people been permitted $" soon
to take NJ practical self government
which also includes government of the
| culunists Of the victorious hatloil'
| Eight years ago England conquered
| the Bocrs at tremendous cost ana
Granted conditions of peace which were
extremely magnanimous. They then
| set about the task of welding the
| t,ocrs and the British residents of that
itch territory into single people
| The major part of the work fell upon
tn, shoulders of Sir Henry Campbell
| Zimmerman who acquitted himself i'll
a splendid manner. Just how wisely
and thoroughly the work was done is
| proven by recent events.
When Governor General Niscount
| Gladstone looked about him for
premier he chose the one man whom
all South African interests, whether
| Boer or British. could agree upon as
best fitted for the place, General Louis
Eotha. Now General Botha acquired
his title shooting Englishmen and that
| ne should be called to govern great
| BODY of English subjects so soon after
ne laid down his arms is significant
| of tire progress made in recohclllns
| the Boer population to British RUE
| Not only has the bitterness of the war
been wiped cut, but there has been
planted in its place a strong feeling
of national pride which makes 1t pos
siblc for cOnqueror and conquered
to Join hands in working for the prog
ress of the new nation. If matters
stopped at this point they would bs
sufficiently unusual to merit a place
IN history but they do not.
General Botha in selecting his cabl
net chose the mon he knows best and
naturally they are Beers. Til" most
important portfolios have been hllcd
and English names are fairly conspic-
uous by their absence; yet there Is
no protest. for it is recognized that tue
| men chosen arc of the same mind ana
| ,nnruach their new work in the same
| spirit as their leader. We have the
| suoctacIe of a British colony governed
nv .he men who sought to drive tn"
| british from the soil within decade.
The purposes for which the Beers
fought have been accomplished with
the exception that they are not indie
ren,lent. They govern South Africa.
however, President kruG"r'S purpose
in wa.ing the Boer war WAS t" siez"
| south Africa and bring it under Bo"r
lcontrnl His successors hay" been
compelled to sacrifice something. but
th.v have been permitted to take much
more than they ever possessed before
l,rhv hay. not secured all they sought
but they have secured other things
even more valuable.