hatwhichwasunendurabletotheAmericanandtheBriton.TheAmericans,however,wereinsogreataminoritythatitwasupontheBritishthatthebruntofthestruggleforfreedomfell.ApartfromthefactthattheBritishweremorenumerousthanalltheotherUitlanderscombined,therewerespecialreasonswhytheyshouldfeeltheirhumiliatingpositionmorethanthemembersofanyotherrace.Inthefirstplace,manyoftheBritishwereBritishSouthAfricans,whoknewthatintheneighbouringcountrieswhichgavethembirththemostliberalpossibleinstitutionshadbeengiventothekinsmenoftheseveryBoerswhowererefusingthemthemanagementoftheirowndrainsandwatersupply.Andagain,everyBritonknewthatGreatBritainclaimedtobetheparamountpowerinSouthAfrica,andsohefeltasifhisownland,towhichhemighthavelookedforprotection,wasconnivingatandacquiescinginhisilltreatment.Ascitizensoftheparamountpower,itwaspeculiarlygallingthattheyshouldbeheldinpoliticalsubjection.TheBritish,therefore,werethemostpersistentandenergeticoftheagitators.
Butitisapoorcausewhichcannotbeartofairlystateandhonestlyconsiderthecaseofitsopponents.TheBoershadmade,ashasbeenbrieflyshown,greateffortstoestablishacountryoftheirown.Theyhadtravelledfar,workedhard,andfoughtbravely.Afteralltheireffortstheywerefatedtoseeaninfluxofstrangersintotheircountry,someofthemmenofquestionablecharacter,whooutnumberedtheoriginalinhabitants.Ifthefranchiseweregrantedtothese,therecouldbenodoubtthatthoughatfirsttheBoersmightcontrolamajorityofthevotes,itwasonlyaquestionoftimebeforethenewcomerswoulddominatetheRaadandelecttheirownPresident,whomightadoptapolicyabhorrenttotheoriginalownersoftheland.WeretheBoerstolosebytheballot-boxthevictorywhichtheyhadwonbytheirrifles?Wasitfairtoexpectit?Thesenewcomerscameforgold.Theygottheirgold.Theircompaniespaidahundredpercent.Wasnotthatenoughtosatisfythem?Iftheydidnotlikethecountrywhydidtheynotleaveit?Noonecompelledthemtostaythere.Butiftheystayed,letthembethankfulthattheyweretoleratedatall,andnotpresumetointerferewiththelawsofthosebywhosecourtesytheywereallowedtoenterthecountry.
ThatisafairstatementoftheBoerposition,andatfirstsightanimpartialmanmightsaythattherewasagooddealtosayforitbutacloserexaminationwouldshowthat,thoughitmightbetenableintheory,itisunjustandimpossibleinpractice.
InthepresentcrowdedstateoftheworldapolicyofThibetmaybecarriedoutinsomeobscurecorner,butitcannotbedoneinagreattractofcountrywhichliesrightacrossthemainlineofindustrialprogress.Thepositionistooabsolutelyartificial.Ahandfulofpeoplebytherightofconquesttakepossessionofanenormouscountryoverwhichtheyaredottedatsuchintervalsthatitistheirboastthatonefarmhousecannotseethesmokeofanother,andyet,thoughtheirnumbersaresodisproportionatetotheareawhichtheycover,theyrefusetoadmitan