Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-05-11
SOUTH AFRICA: COUNTRY
OF DIAMONDS, SAVAGES,
AND HARDY PIONEERS

The Union Of South Africa recently
attracted world attention by a mega
tive vote on the proposal 10 secede
from the British empire. Il should
not be a strange country 10 Americans.
With its vast areas taken over from
aborigines; with thousands Of its
white settlers massacred by savages,
bur with others. undaunted. pressing
on In their prairie schO0ners ever far
Their into the interior Of an unknown
continent: with a gold rush winning
a new empire; and possessed today
Of a stubborn race problem. South
Africa, half way around the world
from us, has in its history, chapters
which We knew by heart. New York
ers can ind an even closer II minor
tie % the residents Of Cape Town In
the fact ulst the sites Of both ports.
now almost priceless, were bought
from savage landlords FOR "A few hand
fuls OF gaudy trinkets.
In one respect, however. the cary
ing out 81 what is now the Union Of
South Africa is without its parallel
in the Development Of the United
States. In South Africa the strife Of
two white peoples FOR control has
been an all important factor. For
about a century and a half the Dutch
had possession OF Cape Town and the
small area surrounding IL which har-
bored all the whites in South Africa.
Tie NapOle0n.c wars transferred pos
session 90 England. aud in 1906 the
English assumed a final control which
nisEy " the Dutch inhabitants re-
scntes. In 1896 many OF the Dutch
farmers or "bOers" began trekking
into the interior with the intention
o. settling beyond English influence.
When Euglishmen followed them they
trekked farther. Finally. beyond the
Orange river they founded the Orange
free state. and beyond the Naal river,
the Transyaal republic.
First diamonds ana then gold were
discovered ln the new states. They
brought great prosperity 10 the BOer
republics. but they brought many out
siders as well; and the presence OF
these finally led 10 the B0er war as
d result OF which the republics came
into the possession Of Great Britain.
Aside from the war-tOm republics
and monarchies Of the fast few years.
the Union 81 South Africa is one of
the youngest 81 the important coun-
tries Of the world.
The territory OF the Union occupies
"a D.
tip OF Africa in a wide strip extending
about 10 miles inland from the In
dian ocean. It's area lacks only %
90 square miles Of reaching the half
million mark.
Toward the inner edge OF the terri
tory Of the Union are the worlds great
est diamond mines. where earth suih-
cient 10 on thousands Of cars is
screened yearly for the sake Of a peck
or two OF diamonds. But the few
handouts 81 diamonds exported In 1913.
the last year before the World war,
were worth more than fifty million dol
lars and exceeded a. value the COM
bined value of the many shiploads OF
wool. ostrich feathers. hides and coal
that sailed away from South Africa
the same year.
Some 10 miles % the northeast of
the diamond country are the gold fields.
In their midst Is the gold-buiit. won
der city OF Johannesburg. metropolis
of Sosth Africa. After the discovery
OF gold in the eighties the city sprang
M almost over night. Though az first
Il was the usual unlOvely mining camp.
soon substantial structures were
erected. and IL now ranks, with it's
well paved streets. fine buildings. and
beautiful parks. with the leading cities
81 Europe. America and Australia.
IL has about the same population as
f Denver. Colorado. aud Providence. r. l.