THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1910 THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 12943, 7 November 1910, Page 2

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1910 THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

It would have beeii difficult a few years ago to picture a South Africa ;in which the two raoes then warring with each other would heal their dif- . ferences and settle down to work out /together the destiny of their country, taking pride in their membership of a common. Empire, and owning allegiance to a single throne. linder such happy circumstances' have the disputes wliich have seareil Soiith Africa to a greater extent than any otherportion of the British dominions given way to a peace which, let us hope, will be perpetual. The unification of IrSouth Africa has been- well described, by Mr Balfour as "the most wonderful issue out of all those divisions, controversies, battles, and putbreaks— ithe devastation and horrors of war, 7tbe difficulties of peace— to. which the 7world could show nothing equal in its \vhblo : history." The history of South -Africa furnishes ample material ' for istifili a pagiefliit asTfchat Vhichjhas been wiaoted during tho last few days with Table Mountain as the background,hut from what a. different standpoint "to jwhat might bave. been the descendants of the participators in those deeds of violence^ and; a later generation of actual actors in them witnessed their reproduction in mimicry at this epochal time. British em- ■ pire building has produced no greater triumph than united South .Africa. -Within a few years of the end of the last disastrous war, the conquered nation was granted practicariridependence, and in a space of, eight years from tho signing of peace a member of the Royal Family has entered the country amid the acclamations ,of all classes of the people for the purpose I of opening the first Parliament' of the ■ Union.' Thehistory of^the world, as Mr Balfour said, offers no parallel to such a march of events. _ The opening of Parliament sees' South Africa started, under the happiest auspices/ on a new course, with racial bitterness, buried, to all appearances for ever, and the people of the new na- ; tion united in the determination that it shall henceforth take its place 1 among tiie first of the Imperial family. South Africa possesses all the resources to make it next to Canada and India the greatest of the British ■ dominions, and vi the spirit in whiflh the new era has heen entered upon there is the brightest augury for the future.