The Press. MONDAY, JANUARY 6. 1908. THE TROUBLE IS THE TRANSVAAL.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13005, 6 January 1908, Page 6

The Press. MONDAY, JANUARY 6. 1908. THE TROUBLE IS THE TRANSVAAL.

The difficulty which has arisen in the Transvaal is assuming a more acute phase, and it is difficult to say what may bo the end. Tho passive resistance of the Asiatics to the law may, if successful in the Transvaal, spread to their fellow countrymen in Natal and other self-governing countries of the Empire where they havo settled. IJn the other hand, if tho law is enforced in its entirety, it undoubtedly will administer a staggering blow to the theory that all subjects of tho Empire are equal, and perhaps it may add some very inflammable fuel to tho fire of disaffection which is already smouldering in ono very important part of the Empire, namely, India. Wo have already briefly explained the circumstances of tho case. Natal is overrun with Indians to such an extent that already they equal the white population in number, and it is estimated that they will practically oust the whites altogether in a few years, comparatively speaking. Tho Transrani is anxious to escape a similar fate. Already thero aro in the country somo 12,000 Asiatics, exclusive of the Chinese mino coolies, and it is alleged thnt their numbers are being constantly added to by the influx of newcomers, who get in on tho strength of false permits or without any per♦mits at all. As a first 6tep toward.? regulating tho admission of further Asiatic immigrants, or perhaps excluding them altogether, tho Asiatic Law Amendment Ordinance has been passed. Its immediate object is to find out who are already entitled to reside in the Transvaal, and it calls upon every Asiatic to apply for a registra tion certificate, and on the form asking for this certificate every Asiatic male, over eight years of age, must place his finger impression. The Asiatics determined to do nothing of the kind. They 6ay that it is class legislation of tho worst description, since tho white men are not called upon to register, and they especially object to tho finger-print regulation as humiliating and degrading, classing them with criminals, 'they also protest that tho demand that they shall declare their mother's name is an insult to their religious ideas, for with many Indians it would be deemed a serious disgrace to utter tho name of their mother. So strong is the feeling that wo aro told well-to-do merchants have resolved to face ruin rather than comply with the law. The penalty for disobedience is severe—first a fine of £100 or threo mouths' imprisonment, then the loss of their licenses, and finalb/ deportation. Yet thousands of

them, it is said, are prepared to run the risk of these penalties rather than comply with a law which they regard as not only unjust but personally degrading. It is clear that it will be practically impossible to put tho whole i of tho recalcitrants in gaol if only for the reason that the country does not possess a tithe of the giol accomodation necessary to hold them. Already it is evident that apart from this aspect of the case a wholesale attempt to enforce the law must lead to many regrettable incidents. No fair-minded Britisher, whatever his views on tho colour question, can read without a certain amount of repugnance, if not of shame, tho statement in this morning's cables that among those to bo deported under the Act i* a man who has fought for Great Britain in four Indian campaigns and tho Boer War, who has been thrice wounded, and has many medals. Moreover, it would »com he conies of a bravo and loyal stock, since his father was on Lord Roberts's staff in tho march on Kandahar. On tho other hand tho desiro on tho part of British colonists to preserve tho British stock froo from admixture with the peoplo of another colour, another race, and another religion, albeit technically subjects of Empire, is ono with which wo must cordially sympathise. It is no use pretending that all members of tho Empire have equal rights, because that is not tho case. We havo not conceded to our Indian fellow subjects tho right of self-government, and tho best authorities aro agreed that wo should make a fatal blunder wero we to do so. Tho principle must also bo accepted, wo think, that our Indian fellow subjects cannot be allowed as of right to settle in any self-governing colony, the inhabitants of which refuso to receive them. Whilo accepting theso fundamental rules, however, wo think it is incumbent on any selfgoverning colony which determines on restricting the immigration of Asiatics who aro also members of tho Empire, to carry out its object with as little harshness, and as little offence to Indian sentiment as possible. Wo also think that the Transvaal law might be a good deal improved in this respect.