POLITICS IN THE TRANS

Evening Star, Issue 13002, 22 December 1906, Page 6

POLITICS IN THE TRANS

CHll ' /J L LABOR PROBLEM. THE COMING ELECTIONS. JOHANNESBURG. November 15. The phase of political activity exemplified in one direction by Ferricra and his fellow-freebooters is quite as intense in the Transvaal at the present time, though displayed in other directions. This was abundantly illustrated at an immense public meeting lield in the Wanderers’ Had last night. This hall is regarded as an historic building in Johannesburg. Its capacity is roughly estimated at 5,000 people. Whenever any great event is agitating public minds the people assemble in thousands at the Wanderers’. It was there that some 5.0C0 people held up their hands against the importation of Chinese three years ago, and in tho same place less than twelve months afterwards those who were _ still opposed to tho introduction ,of Chinese were refused a hearing by a turbulent, noisy mob who were paid for their services to upset the meeting. Last night’s meeting was held to deal with tho same object —that of Chinese labor. _ Many months ago a member of the Legislative Council, Mr Hull, a solicitor who has retire;! from practice, asked for certain information from f]ie Mines Department as to the number ■if white and colored workmen " employed m tlvo mines during certain periods, particularly from the resumption of work after the war. This was refused on the plea that tho information was confidential, and could not bo disclosed without tho consent of tho mining companies concerned ; and it was added that a distinct promise had been made to those companies that such information should not ho made public. The former Commissioner cf ''lines, Mr Wybergh, denied that any such ] inisc had boon made, and then Mr Hull brought up the matter again in tho form of a resolution, but was defeated by the united votes of all the official mem rors of tho Council. Some of tho mining companies subsequently wrote _ stating _ that they were not averse to having such information disclosed provided it was presented in a. form which should not permit of misconstruction. Representations liavo from time to time been made to the Governor on the subject without evoking a satisfactory reply, and finally it was resolved to bold a largo public meeting in the Wanderers’. This seems to have forced the hands of tho Government, who wrote to tho Chamber of Mines stating that such information would not be withheld subsequent to a date in September, and that tho public would in futuiV-ho nrivilegod top make what extracts ' desired on payment of the usual search.ices. To this tho Chamber of Mines replied that they would rather tho whole of tho information was published, but it will bo noted that neither the Government nor the Chamber of Mines agreed to such information being disclosed prior to the date, mentionedSeptember of this year. It was thought, possibly, that the "consent to grant this measure of the public demands would have prevented tho meeting being held, but if thov did so desire they had evidently'miscalculated the determination of their opponents. At last night’s meeting between 4,000 and 5,000 people were present, and one of the chief speakers—in fact, the man who proposed tho resolution —-wan Mr J. C. Smuts, known to most of your readers as tho State Secretary in tho later days of the Republic, and who also, as General Smuts, achieved some success during the war. He was originally a Gape colonial, and educated at the Capo University, a barrister by profession, and a man of exceptional attainments. He had a magnificent reception, delivered a very clever and telling sirocch, and was cheered to the e-bo at ,‘‘3 termination. It is something a com-tentarv on tho altered aspect of affairs political "hero when we find a man like Smuts, who was so determinedly hostile to the demands of tho Uitlandcrs, meeting with a reception of this kind. I do not think anything could demonstrate more clearly how entirely the pendulum has swung "lock. Air Hull was another speaker, and so also was Mr Crcswcll, a mining engineer and tho chief advocate for tho employment of white labor on the mines. It’was lie who introduced tho experiment of employing white men in tho Village Main Reef at tho termination of tho war, and which experiment the mining houses say resulted in failure. Eor tho resolution demanding tho publication of tho information asked for from tho recommencement of tho mining operations subsequent to the war the chairman declared the voles in favor to be 4,000 and against it only 5. Ono incident of the meeting was an attempt by Mr Schumacher, one of tho representatives of tho principal mining houses here—Eckstein and Co. (a branch of Wernhcr, Beit, and Co.) —and which house is popularly supposed to exercise a controlling influence over nearly all the others. Mr Schumacher attempted to explain one incident in connection with tho Chamber of Mines, and was allowed to speak, with constant interruptions, for about six or seven minutes, and was then refused any further hearing. The meeting was a most impressive one. All tho men seemed to be in deadly earnest, and there was no mistake whatever as to their attitude, both with reference to tho Government, the mining houses, and the Chinese question. It may’ seem strange to most of your readers that tho Government should he blamed for anything in connection with tho mining industry. Here it is a general opinion that the big mining houses have practically the control of the Government ; that they influenced Lord Milner before ,he war, and influenced him during the whole of his stay here. You will probably know that during the last year or two of bis stay in the Transvaal Lord Milner was distrusted and disliked by fully eight-tenths of the people. His friends contrived to give him a reception occasionally, and a fairly satisfactory send-off, but oven at the last "reception a cricket match was being played at tho Wanderers’ Ground whilst he was. addressing am. assemblage, and most

of the spectators took more interest in tho match than in his remarks. It is further said that ho came to this country comparatively a poor man, and loft it well endowed with this world’s goods, and thcee who are most determinedly opposed to him ■do not scruple to say that Uia friendship for tho mining industry was not entirely disinterested. The members' of tire Executive are also charged with undue complaisance to tho wishes and influences of the mining groups, and when people speak of tho Progressive Association and their associates, the foremost of which is tho Chamber of Mines, they assert that this party have -bean in power now for fully four years, and all the maladministration from which Hie country has au fibred so much* is attributable to that party. It is only natural, when, people are angry and have lost in every way, that they should feel strongly and speak strongly, and probably do not carefully measure their, words ; but, however, that "ia the current opinion, and when people discuss the sins of the administration and tlie sins of tho Chamber of Mines they associate the two together as being practically tho ono set of men. If the various public meetings that have been held recently could be gauged as re-pro-on ting public opinion, the Progressives i will have a very poor chance of getting many seats at the forthcoming elections. I think in my flint estimate I credited them with twenty-three scats on tho Rand and two in Pretoria, and probably that forecast will have to be diminished. It is no I letas a fact, however, trial thcee mootings do not always correctly foreshadow the voting at tho polls. There is a very solid body of men behind tho Progressives who do not attend public meetings, bat who will vote for their candidates. In tho country the Progressives have been losing ground. At Lydenburg a former Progressive Association branch has practically ceased to exist, tiro majority of its members allying tbemeelvcu with a newlyformed branch of the National Association. At Volkemet an English barrister was sent down by tbo Progressive party hero, and ho delivered a very incendiary speech. Tolksrast, as you are aware, is very close* to Majuba, and Advocate Homo thought the occasion was a fitting ono to remind them of the Beenes that had taken place at Laing’e Nek and Majuba in past years, and affirmed tho necessity of continuing .ho racial strife at the polls. At Potehefstippm, which tho Progressives at one time hoped to attach, other elements of discord have arisen, in their ranks, and now Pretoria is said to be go hostile that Sir Percy EitzPati iek, another of Eckstein a represenlafivcs. has found it necessary to go there ou a special mission in order to patch up or to heal tho disaffection and strife that has cor e about. A mention of Pretoria reminds me of ono, and perhaps the only, indiscretion that Lord Solboiw has so far committed since ho has been High Commissioner and Governor of tho two new colonicn. It appears that Sir Percy FitzPatrick, or some other member of that party, wont to the Cover nor and said that they were very anxious to promote, concord between Pretoria and Johannesburg. In the last-named town there is not, I think, any unfriendliness towards tiio political capital. Their intents are so dissimilar, and tho people here are so busily engaged in their own affairs, that they have not paused to think as to how' they arc thought of elsewhere, but with Pretoria tilings aro different. Its existence as a town of any consequence depends almost solely upon its being the capital, and it is always afraid that Johan-lift-burg, with its much greater population and command of votes, might seek to displace it; besides, prior to tho war it held relatively a better position than it does now, and tliero fi, I believe, some sort of a rivalry or jealousy of its bigger and younger sister. Well, Lord Selborno appears to leave been imprcr-sed with the desirability of having this supposed breach healed, ’and he wro:c a, number of letters to prominent men in Pretoria urging them to go on Sir Percy FitzPatrick’s platform, nr, at least, to attend his meetings, and endeavor, if possible, to acsist him in his ’.-uidablc undertaking. Tficso letters have been made public, and have caused a very groat deal of adverse comment, it being construed into an attempt on the part of Ho King’s representative to take sides in political"questions, for it is- believed that (ho principal object of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick’s visit ia to strengthen the hands of (lie Progressive Association in the neighboring town. Probably His Excellency has not desired to help the Progressive Association, but in times of political ferment people do not regard action temperately, and .-see" tho matter has gone so far ijs.-kfieiure questions to be asked in the J„>uso of Commons of >Si'] Henry Canv.tcll-BaTinennan as ana*, tho meaning of it all whs. e- r’ ,im g a re '

ply that the Imperial Government could not interfere in matters of this kind. Admitting that His Excellency acted with the very host of intentions, according to his own lights, there seems no doubt but that he was indiscreet, and that his action wii! be regarded with suspicion by a very large section of the people, and it will bo .r«ientcd at Pretoria, whose people have no great love for the mining houses or the Association which they control. Fo far no . definite pronouncement has been made as to when the elections will take place; in fact, the delimitation of the constituencies is getting on very slowly, and intending members are quite ignorant ns to what will be the boundaries of the constituencies they seek to woo. Unless more expedition is displayed, we will not have the elections over until March. In the meantime the contest may be said to have commenced. Two or three public meetings are held every week, and the National Association, in particular, are becoming very active opening now branches. Hot Volk have not yet declared their policy or their platform, the leaders still expressing their determination to wait until all the details of tho Letters Patent granting the Constitution have been received.