adofpipes,filthybucketsinsteadofdrains,acorruptandviolentpolice,ahighdeath-rateinwhatshouldbeahealthresort—allthisinacitywhichtheyhadbuiltthemselves.
6.Despoticgovernmentinthematterofthepressandoftherightofpublicmeeting.
7.Disabilityfromserviceuponajury.
8.Continualharassingofthemininginterestbyvexatiouslegislation.Underthisheadcamemanygrievances,somespecialtotheminesandsomeaffectingallUitlanders.Thedynamitemonopoly,bywhichtheminershadtopay600,000poundsextraperannuminordertogetaworsequalityofdynamitetheliquorlaws,bywhichone-thirdoftheKaffirswereallowedtobehabituallydrunktheincompetenceandextortionsoftheState-ownedrailwaythegrantingofconcessionsfornumerousarticlesofordinaryconsumptiontoindividuals,bywhichhighpricesweremaintainedthesurroundingofJohannesburgbytollsfromwhichthetownhadnoprofit—thesewereamongtheeconomicalgrievances,somelarge,somepetty,whichramifiedthrougheverytransactionoflife.
Andoutsideandbeyondallthesedefinitewrongsimaginetoafreebornprogressiveman,anAmericanoraBriton,theconstantirritationofbeingabsolutelyruledbyabodyoftwenty-fivemen,twenty-oneofwhomhadinthecaseoftheSelatiRailwayCompanybeenpubliclyandcircumstantiallyaccusedofbribery,withfulldetailsofthebribesreceived,whiletotheircorruptiontheyaddedsuchcrassignorancethattheyargueinthepublishedreportsoftheVolksraaddebatesthatusingdynamitebombstobringdownrainwasfiringatGod,thatitisimpioustodestroylocusts,thattheword'participate'shouldnotbeusedbecauseitisnotintheBible,andthatpostalpillarboxesareextravagantandeffeminate.Suchobiterdictamaybeamusingatadistance,buttheyarelessentertainingwhentheycomefromanautocratwhohascompletepowerovertheconditionsofyourlife.
Fromthefactthattheywereacommunityextremelypreoccupiedbytheirownbusiness,itfollowedthattheUitlanderswerenotardentpoliticians,andthattheydesiredtohaveashareinthegovernmentoftheStateforthepurposeofmakingtheconditionsoftheirownindustryandoftheirowndailylivesmoreendurable.Howfartherewasneedofsuchaninterferencemaybejudgedbyanyfair-mindedmanwhoreadsthelistoftheircomplaints.AsuperficialviewmayrecognisetheBoersasthechampionsofliberty,butadeeperinsightmustseethatthey(asrepresentedbytheirelectedrulers)haveintruthstoodforallthathistoryhasshowntobeodiousintheformofexclusivenessandoppression.Theirconceptionoflibertyhasbeenaselfishone,andtheyhaveconsistentlyinflicteduponothersfarheavierwrongsthanthoseagainstwhichtheyhadthemselvesrebelled.
Astheminesincreasedinimportanceandtheminersinnumbers,itwasfoundthatthesepoliticaldisabilitiesaffectedsomeofthatcosmopolitancrowdfarmorethanothers,inproportiontotheamountoffreedomtowhichtheirhomeinstitutionshadmadethemaccustomed.ThecontinentalUitlandersweremorepatientoft