THE UNQUIET TRANSVAAL.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 153, 27 December 1898, Page 4

THE UNQUIET TRANSVAAL.

♦ The British Agent in the Transvaal must have his hands full at the present moment with business of a somewhat delicate nature. The local authorities seem to be carrying out in detail " Oom Paul's " policy of hostility to the British residents, and if the Transvaal Government does not relax its oppression of the " Outlanders," especially in Johannesburg, the time may come wihen the British Government will regret the Jameson episode, not as now for its illegality, but rather for its failure. The Boers cannot keep up in, this nineteenth century the oligarchic tyranny so dear' to President Kruger's soul. The "Outlanders " are, or at least for the most part desire to be, law - abiding citizens of the South African Republic, but the Dutch political aristocracy insists upon treating them as the Roman patricians once treated the plebeians. Men of British blood cannot be expected to bear this with equanimity, and the Transvaal must open its arms freely to its white residents or risk possibilities about which it is best to keep silence until they have become inevitable necessities. The story told in today's cablegrams of the police shooting a British subject, apparently without due *cause, will go a long way to turn public opinion in Europe against the Boer Republic, and unless the offending officer is impartially tried, arid strictly punished if found guilty, there is likely to be trouble between Her Majesty's representative and Mr. Kruger. The British residents in Johannesburg are apparently much excited over the affair, and some 5000 have marched to the Vice-consul's house wit'L a petition to the Queen setting forth thair grievances. Mr. Chamberlain says he is thoroughly protecting British interests, and he no doubt intends to do so. The danger is lest the action of the Boer authorities in the Edgar case, and in the other matters referred to in the recent cable advices, should lead to such irritation that the Johannesburgers or Mr. Chamberlain should overstep the limit of prudence in their turn.