South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 8 (of 8): South Africa and Its Future
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 8 (of 8): South Africa and Its Future
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
In this matter the best men, be they English, German, or Yankee, will
win. But this is a home rather than a South African question. In any
case, we may expect soon to see a considerable influx of capitalists,
farmers, and traders, and they cannot but give an impetus to South
Africa's reviving fortunes, let political ineptitude do its worst. I
have endeavoured to show wherein lie the chief obstacles to progress in
the new colonies. In the old--Natal would in any case seem to have an
era of immediate prosperity before her--the future is darkened by
considerations all too apparent for the most optimistic or blind to
overlook or ignore. The Africander Bond and the Dutch Reformed Church
have not buried the hatchet. Throughout South Africa it is, of course,
the duty of the loyal South African of British origin or British
sympathies to endeavour to recognise at their best the many sterling
qualities of the Dutch, and to forgive with what charity he may their
besetting sins, condoning them as the resultants of environment and
circumstance. It is also their duty to recognise that the past mistakes
of Downing Street were chiefly due to lack of brain and thought, rather
than to lack of heart, and to determine to work with all true patriots
for the lasting good and welfare of South Africa.
Unhappily there is ample evidence to show that the Dutch Reformed Church
and the Africander Bond are as active for evil as ever. How great is the
terrorism exercised by the COMMISSIE VAN TOEZICHT (the Secret Council of
the Bond) is illustrated to-day by the abject recantation of the Rev.
Mr. Botha, a pastor who, having counselled his countrymen to submit to
the inevitable and accept British rule as far back as September 1901,
now stands in the white sheet of repentance, and abjectly craves to be
forgiven for what he calls his temporary weakness and backsliding!
Undoubtedly disloyalty to the British Empire throughout South Africa has
its _fons et origo_ not in the Transvaal but at the Cape. For the moment
the Bond lies low. It has gained everything it can hope to gain for the
present. This the most superficial student of Cape politics can see. The
problem of how to reconcile divergent elements at the Cape, and to make
the Cape Dutch as loyal to the Empire as the French Canadians to-day,
not that their loyalty is unimpeachable, is an extremely complicated
one. At the Cape it is by no means merely a question of Dutch _versus_
English or of Town _versus_ Country. Many of the most active enemies of
Great Britain are to be found in the houses of the old Dutch families
inhabiting the suburban districts of Cape Town--Wynburg, Rondebosch, and
so forth. It is also true that among those old Dutch families no more
loyal subjects of the king are to be found. Unhappily English
associations, close intercourse with Government House, intermarriage
with English families, and education at our universities or at the
Temple here, do not always ensure that the Dutch Africander will be
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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