RACIALISM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20, 24 January 1912, Page 11

RACIALISM.

ITS MEtiACE IN SOUTH AFRICA. iWHO 13 RESPONSIBLE? LEADER'S ACCUSATIONS. (By R. W. Reid.) Tho political atmosphere of South Africa has been, of late, cfieturbed and electrical, Two pa-rtios, each with- -a well-defined programme, hold tbe field, and the attitude of the one towards the other, cannot be described as even friend ly. The two leaders, Sir Starr Jamencm, of tho Opposition:, and General Botha, Prima Minister of the Unioq, f-eem as far as outward appearances go, inclined towards political harmony and racial peace, But behind them are politicians who , ara apparently dovoted mainly to I controversy. No sooner has one thomo beed. debated into ishreds and nothing' ness oh the rival platforms, than another is discovered to keep the public mind for ever on the etretch, au<? not alive I only >but frequently aflame. As it invariably the caae in party politics the lookers-on, while seeing most of the fight, I arc not seldom at a loes to discover i which Eide has the better argument/ the better rc^on for the long-sustained conflict. Fortunately, in South Africa the two parties may be described as each j distinct and homogeneous. The Union Parliament has yet to witness the perplesin* spectacle of members voting with the Government in one division and against the Government, it may be,' in" the one following. Parliamentary beculiarities- of that character seem to be the particular property of New Zealand. Party feeling is too strong and healthy in South Africa to permit -of' private members playing ducks and drakes with the mandates of their constituents, often to. satisfy mero personal 1 Minis' ■ and idiosyncrasies. THE TWO CONGRESSES; r -, ; . Two congresses have recently 'been held in South Africa, ooe by' the Nationalists or Ministerial Party, the other by the OjLtpositioti, or Unionisk P, artjif. The iormer, took place at Bloemfontein,; tho typically Dutch capital of<. the-' 'Orange Free State, the latter at Durban, which i» generally alluded to,' and rightly,, as "the most English town in ■ South Africa." The presidential speeches delivered at the two great gatherings should prove invaluable to every one interested/ in the remotest' degree,- with what vitally concerns the welfare of the sub-Continent. They, present in fairly brief form not so much the political platforms of the two parties as the social and political aspirations of the two white races. Biassed both ' deliverances probably are, for bias is an ever-present attribute in party politics. But discounting prejudices and the recollections of past disputes and ancient animosities, both speeches may be accepted a& placing the position of Nationalist .and .Unionist in the^ most , favourable iight possible^ Racialism, or the relations of 'Dutch and British provides probably the most oiiflcult of all presently problems in South Africa. Doubtless a solution will be possible some day; meanwhile it is worthy of note each party ESaddles responsibility upon the other for Us perpetuation. There are many questions before the country of supreme importance; but in general terms it may be said that oq them no great divergence of opinion exist*. Racialism at the moment 16 the prime cause of discord, and as sach is the principal danger menacing the well-being ot the country. At--•tention may to-day, therefore, be fitly confined ,to what the two headers have to' sayr onv-this -jall-imppii'tattfe'fsabieGts^-^- j GENERAL BOTHA'S PLEA. '• | General Botha was optimistic, but discriminating. Never in the history of South. Africa, he declared at the outset, had such a representative meeting been., held — a meeting of the moderate men of both, races. Never before had. 1 Englishman and Boer been able to meet !at 4 gathering such a* that. "Every corner , *»f South Africa is represented here," .he proceeded, " and everyone is here .with the .same. object — namely, of forming- one great South African party on the principles laid clown in our programme. . That such a meeting as this is p^oaiible at all is to be ascribed to a, fact for which we are thankful to God: that both sections of .the community are imbued with a spirit of mutual rappToachement and toleration. This ' stream of mutual rapproachement has become and is be- ! coming from day to day. and from year to year stronger and stronger, arid I ata convinced that that stream will become so strong and so resistless that it will sweep ruthlessly out of its way everything that stands in the way of mutual rapproachement and conciliation of the two white sections of our inhabitant*, and out of that, will be born a young but very promising nationality." The General, speaking in the loose, discursive " taal " — sometimes, but erroneously, named Dutch — went jsn to say that, only now, eighteen month* after the Union had been established, had the spirit arisen for having that National Congress, in which the new party would take promising shape and organisation. AN AIM, AND A "BUT." What, then, was their chief aim? asked the General. The- co-operation of the two white races ? he replied, in order that along these lines there might b« formed a South African nation. That, co-operation was easier now that tho way had been cleared by the political union of the country. One ideal had been attained—the political • union of , South Africa ; the other and , greater ideal— the national uriioft of the inhabitMits—had yet' to be realised. ■ "That i* a, gr«at and difficult task," said General Botha, " certainly far more difficult than was the political union established by -oar statesmen ; but with, determination # and wibh mutual toleration and patience this national union also will oe accomplished." A good deal was said regarding the beauty of co-operation between the two racee. Then th« General reached the "but" j stage. .TMucation has, of late, been a, stormy topic,, the- details of *■ which need not again be stated in these columns. The General, it would appear, resents the action of the Opposition with regard j to General H«rtjsog\s education scheme. He spoke in this strain: "But it seems to. me that it is tho intention of the Opposition to keep .passion .alive to such <m extent and to cause so much, i bltfceme** that no solution of Any deli- j cats question is possible. There aresome people who are not disinclined to slat np the waters bo that they are dirty and they may fish in them. I can come to no other conclusion in view ot iwc««fc speeches delivered by members of th« Opposition. I must say ihee* j a.r# pat-Uetuairiy shameful because they j tefld to Tednce tie who!© question to | taai&l lines, and to rouse and keep ; alive -4h* racial question." Much j stronger thingp ,■»«« said by General Both-i's •follower*; but we must pass on to the Union Congress. ! SIR THOMAS SMARTT'S CHARGE. Sir Thomas Scartt, one of "Dr. Jim's" cleverect lieutenant*, presided over the Durban Gon-gre**. He obviously has no doal)t« as to wliich party Is responsible I for r^alkm. Dealing with tha* specific auestJOn ha reminded kk bearer* that iree Union Ministers had been defeated at th« first G*neKd Election. "What," ho i enr t ui£ed, r ."a ! ddjed large] v, ©utaide tin \

pereonaliiica o* theee gentlemen, to thoir defeat? Ho caid that, it was the ,feel■ing* -of intense disappointment on the parl. of a iarg* section of the public that tho first. Government of tne Union should b« established on racial party lines, instead of upon tho broad liberal principles which they considered had actuated members of the National Convention. The Premier had been asserting that the congress at Bloemfontein was the meet important meeting ever held in South Africa to bring the people together. His (Sir Thomas Smartt's) reply, to that was, that tfie most important opportunity ever presented to th© people of Sduth Africa of coming amicably to•gether**as in May," 1910, when General Botha formed % party ' administration. These brief extract* will suffice to show very clearly three- facts : namely, ". that racialism, continues, that it is condemned by both parties, and that Boer and Briton alike deny responsibility for its presence and perpetuation. When a conspicuous political feature^ — one both toorbid and unlovely — is condemned pub- , | licly by all classes and shades df poli- | tician, ite removal one would imagine, would ,be a matter easy of accomplishment. "Ah!" reply both , sides, "the others are only talking ; they say one thing and do another. They doil't mean what they say." Thus, for, example, further spoke Sir' Thomas Smartt : "South Africa is in danger '^of being lulled into a sense of false security. We have arrived at a time when we require, and demand, more t.han fair promises, at a time when actions speak louder than Words." These utterances by the two leaders reveal the 'racial bitterness that exist* between British and D.utch. Which side may be. responsible ' does not so greatly matter. What matters is that racialism is there.