The Hastings Standard Published Daily. FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 1897. KRUGER AND CHAMBERLAIN.

Hastings Standard, Issue 251, 19 February 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 1897. KRUGER AND CHAMBERLAIN.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrongs that need resistance. For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Evkk .since the now famous Jameson raid, President has apparently secured many diplomatic triumphs o\t.-r the_ Secretary of State for the Colonies, anil the little liepublic has ill consequence become arrogant, quite that Em-land holds surzeran rights over the Transvaal. It was only tLit* other day that the South African liepublic went beyond its powers in joining the Convention which has for its object ttie humane treatment of the sick and wound'. 1 dun n*/ war. 1 <• rd Salisbury called atl-ntton to the breach, although he declined to intervene. The };<« r- h t\i U en u: l i- • i by foreign inthien . ; run ip.i!'.\ (i.r.uan. to 2U.suik- a'i .I'.ti'ude u h;.h cannot In; '.<»,■ bv i'ff n -i>\ i depend- k: -!.>.*»•. I;.. !>■*•!*-, u ' bt-.n -p. \j*i - im- in nan i of war, mid lutir wLok' cvuduct points

to a disposition to disturb the peace. Sir James Sivewright, the Minister of Public Works in Cape Colony, found it imperative to warn the Transvaal and Orange Free States that they must cease sending emissaries into Cape Colony to teach the Cape Boers disloyalty to the British Crown. It seems very clear that the Boers are endeavoring by every means to cause a rupture in the vain hope of wiping the British out of South Africa. Of the most irritating of the many devious methods adopted by the Boers to goad the British into action, nothing can exceed the recent legislation which gags the Press and prevents the influx: of aliens. To British-born people the censorship of the Press, which has been introduced with a view to preventing the expression of dissent from the methods adopted by the Government, is alone sufficient to almost cause a rebellion. The alien law, however, is the more irritating and likely to produce that discontent which makes for rebellion. True they have placed all nationalties under the ban, but it is questionable whether the existing treaty with Great Britain is not exceeded in the operations of the Aliens Act. There is a clause in the treaty of 1881, under which Great Britain guaranteed the internal independence of the Transvaal, which reads as follows : " All persons other than Natives conforming themselves to the laws of the South African Republic (a) will have full liberty with their families to enter, travel, or reside in any part of South African Republic; (7<) they will be entitled to hire or possess houses, manufactories, warehouses, shops and premises ; (<■) they may carry on their commerce either in person or by any agents whom they may think fit to employ; (<l) they will not be subject either in their persons or property, or in respect of their commerce or industry, to any taxes, whether general or local, other than those which are or may be imposed upon citizens of the Republic." This clause is explicit enough, and where the Boers obtain the right to exclude British subjects from entering the Republic, except upon satisfactory evidence as to their financial means, it is difficult to perceive. Indeed after admission is obtained the alien must every three months get a renewal of his license from the field cornet, should he wish to continue his residence in Transvaal territory. The intention of the Alien Act is quite apparent—it is to restrict the influx of uitlanders of British blood. President Kruger and his host of dirty, coil'ee-consuming, legislators have arrogated to themselves powers which they never possessed, and it is not surprising to learn that Mr Chamberlain should insist upon the Parliamentary Committee set up to inquire into the Jameson raid taking in the larger, and now more important matter, the grievances of the Uitlanders. The right honorable gentleman was reported to have said, " Recent legislation passed in the Transvaal had not improved the situation, and reports showed that it was inadequate to meet the case, and peace would be insecure until the grievances of the Uitlanders were redressed." If the Parliamentary Committee should discover, as it is almost certain to do, that the grievances under which the Uitlanders labor are real, and that they have been increased by the press censorship and Aliens Act, we can well believe that the British Government will bring President Kruger to his bearings promptly. The temper of the Boer has been excited by German promises, and possibly the British demands for redress for its subjects will be rejected ; if so, then there will be a struggle in South Africa which at its conclusion will necessitate a recoloring of the map. President Kruger has yet to learn the power of Great Britain, and British soldiers will scarcely be dejected at having the opportunity of avenging Amajuba Hill.