THE AFRIKANDER BOND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11561, 14 June 1900, Page 2

THE AFRIKANDER BOND.

The long impending orisis in the Cape Ministry is at hand. When Mr Schreiner was the viotim of a hostile demonstration and called back "Suspend your judgment," he could only mean that time would justify" such action as he had taken. If it is the real Schreiner who is attempting to persuade the Bonditesto endorse the British polioy in reference to the South African Eepublics, he is, in that improbable case, a much misunderstood patriot. There are, however, indications that it is not the hand o£ Mr Schreiner that is thus displayed, but that of Sir Alfred Milner. The High Commissioner has been the controlling force of Cape politics since before the declaration of war, and he is probably preoipitating a crisis in order to thoroughly establish British pre-eminence in Cape Colony before the declaration of peace is made The position is an extremely curious one. Of the white Cape population of 400,000 the greater proportion are of Dutch descent, and it is impossible to gauge the influence of the Afrikander Bond throughout the country. The eleotoral privileges almost amount to manhood suffrage, as either a man must be an occupier of property worth ,£75 or receive a salary equivalent to J350. It is to be presumed that the bill whioh Mr Shreiner is introduoing to disfranchise all rebels for a period of five years will apply, to those only who can be proved to have taken an aotive part in tbe fighting. It might, therefore be a most difficult matter to bring a great number of those who are rebels at heart to book. And even were the Cape Premier's purpose gained, the question is how far this would affect the

Afrikander majority? Wonld suoh a movement neutralise the hostile Dutch element, and give the Progressives a majority until the results of the war, and the bitter race-feeling created, had dissipated? But there is another point of view from whioh to regard the situation. May not Mr Sohreiner be attempting to force Sir Alfred Milner's hand? He has remained in power all through the war, and at the commencement of hostilities made the astonishing statement that the colony was a neutral party. Is it his purpose now to precipitate a orisis on the question of the independence of the Boer Eepublics, and is he confident, being hand-in-glove with the Afrikanker Bond, that the colony will return to power a Ministry favoring the integrity of the Transvaal and Free State? It would indeed be a remarkable thing if the British colony most concerned in the present war were to justify the enemies

of Britian in their opposition to her. Yet this is what may happen. In such a case what would be the solution of the problem? It would be contrary to all British precedent were it found neoessary to suspend the government of a people hitherto possessing the free constitution of other divisions of the Empire. But Britain could not tolerate an unfriendly Government in one of her most valuable possessions, just after the termination of a sanguinary war with the kinsmen of her subjeots in this possession, and were a dictatorship assumed over the territory, with the majority of the people in opposition, the breaoh would widen by such action, and rebellion be oontinually smouldering. But the Dutoh colonists at tha Cape may, after all, see the wisdom of accepting the position and acquiescing in the objects of the British policy. It will, at any rate, be interesting to watoh further developments. The Afrikander Bond presents claiinß tanta-

mount to & demand for independence. For instanoe, we were the other day informed that they are urging the British Government to acknowledge their right to elect their own Governor. When the hand of the Sohreiner Ministry is played out we may discover some strong motive in their present aotion.