CHAPTER 2. THE CAUSE OF QUARREL.

adofpipes,filthybucketsinsteadofdrains,acorruptandviolentpolice,ahighdeath-rateinwhatshouldbeahealthresort—allthisinacitywhichtheyhadbuiltthemselves. 6.Despoticgovernmentinthematterofthepressandoftherightofpublicmeeting. 7.Disabilityfromserviceuponajury. 8.Continualharassingofthemininginterestbyvexatiouslegislation.Underthisheadcamemanygrievances,somespecialtotheminesandsomeaffectingallUitlanders.Thedynamitemonopoly,bywhichtheminershadtopay600,000poundsextraperannuminordertogetaworsequalityofdynamitetheliquorlaws,bywhichone-thirdoftheKaffirswereallowedtobehabituallydrunktheincompetenceandextortionsoftheState-ownedrailwaythegrantingofconcessionsfornumerousarticlesofordinaryconsumptiontoindividuals,bywhichhighpricesweremaintainedthesurroundingofJohannesburgbytollsfromwhichthetownhadnoprofit—thesewereamongtheeconomicalgrievances,somelarge,somepetty,whichramifiedthrougheverytransactionoflife. Andoutsideandbeyondallthesedefinitewrongsimaginetoafreebornprogressiveman,anAmericanoraBriton,theconstantirritationofbeingabsolutelyruledbyabodyoftwenty-fivemen,twenty-oneofwhomhadinthecaseoftheSelatiRailwayCompanybeenpubliclyandcircumstantiallyaccusedofbribery,withfulldetailsofthebribesreceived,whiletotheircorruptiontheyaddedsuchcrassignorancethattheyargueinthepublishedreportsoftheVolksraaddebatesthatusingdynamitebombstobringdownrainwasfiringatGod,thatitisimpioustodestroylocusts,thattheword'participate'shouldnotbeusedbecauseitisnotintheBible,andthatpostalpillarboxesareextravagantandeffeminate.Suchobiterdictamaybeamusingatadistance,buttheyarelessentertainingwhentheycomefromanautocratwhohascompletepowerovertheconditionsofyourlife. Fromthefactthattheywereacommunityextremelypreoccupiedbytheirownbusiness,itfollowedthattheUitlanderswerenotardentpoliticians,andthattheydesiredtohaveashareinthegovernmentoftheStateforthepurposeofmakingtheconditionsoftheirownindustryandoftheirowndailylivesmoreendurable.Howfartherewasneedofsuchaninterferencemaybejudgedbyanyfair-mindedmanwhoreadsthelistoftheircomplaints.AsuperficialviewmayrecognisetheBoersasthechampionsofliberty,butadeeperinsightmustseethatthey(asrepresentedbytheirelectedrulers)haveintruthstoodforallthathistoryhasshowntobeodiousintheformofexclusivenessandoppression.Theirconceptionoflibertyhasbeenaselfishone,andtheyhaveconsistentlyinflicteduponothersfarheavierwrongsthanthoseagainstwhichtheyhadthemselvesrebelled. Astheminesincreasedinimportanceandtheminersinnumbers,itwasfoundthatthesepoliticaldisabilitiesaffectedsomeofthatcosmopolitancrowdfarmorethanothers,inproportiontotheamountoffreedomtowhichtheirhomeinstitutionshadmadethemaccustomed.ThecontinentalUitlandersweremorepatientofthatwhichwasunendurabletotheAmericanandtheBriton.TheAmericans,however,wereinsogreataminoritythatitwasupontheBritishthatthebruntofthestruggleforfreedomfell.ApartfromthefactthattheBritishweremorenumerousthanalltheotherUitlanderscombined,therewerespecialreasonswhytheyshouldfeeltheirhumiliatingpositionmorethanthemembersofanyotherrace.Inthefirstplace,manyoftheBritishwereBritishSouthAfricans,whoknewthatintheneighbouringcountrieswhichgavethembirththemostliberalpossibleinstitutionshadbeengiventothekinsmenoftheseveryBoerswhowererefusingthemthemanagementoftheirowndrainsandwatersupply.Andagain,everyBritonknewthatGreatBritainclaimedtobetheparamountpowerinSouthAfrica,andsohefeltasifhisownland,towhichhemighthavelookedforprotection,wasconnivingatandacquiescinginhisilltreatment.Ascitizensoftheparamountpower,itwaspeculiarlygallingthattheyshouldbeheldinpoliticalsubjection.TheBritish,therefore,werethemostpersistentandenergeticoftheagitators. Butitisapoorcausewhichcannotbeartofairlystateandhonestlyconsiderthecaseofitsopponents.TheBoershadmade,ashasbeenbrieflyshown,greateffortstoestablishacountryoftheirown.Theyhadtravelledfar,workedhard,andfoughtbravely.Afteralltheireffortstheywerefatedtoseeaninfluxofstrangersintotheircountry,someofthemmenofquestionablecharacter,whooutnumberedtheoriginalinhabitants.Ifthefranchiseweregrantedtothese,therecouldbenodoubtthatthoughatfirsttheBoersmightcontrolamajorityofthevotes,itwasonlyaquestionoftimebeforethenewcomerswoulddominatetheRaadandelecttheirownPresident,whomightadoptapolicyabhorrenttotheoriginalownersoftheland.WeretheBoerstolosebytheballot-boxthevictorywhichtheyhadwonbytheirrifles?Wasitfairtoexpectit?Thesenewcomerscameforgold.Theygottheirgold.Theircompaniespaidahundredpercent.Wasnotthatenoughtosatisfythem?Iftheydidnotlikethecountrywhydidtheynotleaveit?Noonecompelledthemtostaythere.Butiftheystayed,letthembethankfulthattheyweretoleratedatall,andnotpresumetointerferewiththelawsofthosebywhosecourtesytheywereallowedtoenterthecountry. ThatisafairstatementoftheBoerposition,andatfirstsightanimpartialmanmightsaythattherewasagooddealtosayforitbutacloserexaminationwouldshowthat,thoughitmightbetenableintheory,itisunjustandimpossibleinpractice. InthepresentcrowdedstateoftheworldapolicyofThibetmaybecarriedoutinsomeobscurecorner,butitcannotbedoneinagreattractofcountrywhichliesrightacrossthemainlineofindustrialprogress.Thepositionistooabsolutelyartificial.Ahandfulofpeoplebytherightofconquesttakepossessionofanenormouscountryoverwhichtheyaredottedatsuchintervalsthatitistheirboastthatonefarmhousecannotseethesmokeofanother,andyet,thoughtheirnumbersaresodisproportionatetotheareawhichtheycover,theyrefusetoadmitan