THE TRANSVAAL HORROR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 56, 3 September 1904, Page 15

THE TRANSVAAL HORROR.

TO THH EDITOR. Sir,— ln objecting to the terms of Mr. Rigg*s motion, in which tho employment of Chinese in the Transvaal was culled ,by its proper name, Sir A. J. Cadman has evinced a degree of fastidiousness worthy Mr. Alfred Lyttolton himself. If tho Chinese miners aro not alavce, what nro they? There are, of course, degreea | of slavery. Tho slavery of ancient Rome, for example, was a mild institution by comparison with the slavery which existed in our awn times in America, and even in tho British colonies in the early thirties. Novorthelees, no man in hi& senses' would deny that slavery existed in each case. In order to realise tho truo nature of tho employment of Chinese in tho Transvaal, let us briefly look nt the facts; The wretched men are kept under close guard from the time they leave China until they arrive at tho mines. They cannot more outeido a certain radius, and then only undor surveillance and for a limited timo. When they land their finger prints are taken and carefully recorded, and they are con veyeel to the mines under an armed guard. Surely these unfortunate creatures cannot be called free men? When tho terms of the Ordinance were first published, ono of tnem provided for tho transference of the men from one mineowner to nnother, M'kethcr they were consenting parties or not I The Chinese Ambassador in London protested against this provision. That is to say, Christian England had to submit to a lesson in humanity from tho representative of a heathen nation, which i» not oven reckoned in (he family of civilised Powers I I have followed tho matter very closely, and as far as I enn see, the obnoxious provision was not repealed. Again, it may interest Sir A. J. Cndfnau to learn thafc the "contraob." imder which the labourers have been hired would, apart from legislative sanction mich as tue Ordinance, be enforceable in the law court* of no civilised nation on earth 1 It is idle to endeavour to cover this piece of rascality under the cloak of casuistry ; the public opinion of Christendom stands aghast at it, and cvorj patriot must feel humiliated that, under the rule of a crowd of mercenaries, tho England of Wilberf6rce and Clarkson has come to such a degraded level. I an) pleaeed that Mr. Rigg has dared to call the Ordinance by its only appropriate naino. Of course, our protest will bo of little practical value, but it will at kaat serve one good purpose ; it will bring home to the people of this country tho arrant hypocrisy of the pretended solicitude evluced by certain British politicians for the feelings of the colonies. — 1 am, etc., P. J. O'REGAN. Wadeirtown, 30th August.