THE SOUTH AFRICAN
QUESTION
BY
AN ENGLISH SOUTH AFRICAN
(Olive Schreiner)
AUTHOR OF “THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN
FARM,” “DREAMS,” ETC.
CHICAGO
CHARLES H. SERGEL COMPANY
1899
Copyright, 1899, by Olive Schreiner.
“Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that;
That truth and worth, o’er a’ the earth,
May bear the gree, and a’ that;
For a’ that, and a’ that;
It’s coming yet, for a’ that;
That man to man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.”
“Put up thy sword: they that hold the swordshall perish by the sword.”
[5]
THE SOUTH AFRICAN
QUESTION.
Many views have found expressionin the columns of papers during the lastweeks. The working man only a fewweeks or months from England has expressedhis opposition to those stratagemswith war for their aim whichwould leave him without the defencehe has at present from the pressure ofemployers. Journalists only a few years,months, or weeks from Europe, havewritten, not perhaps expressing a desirefor war, but implying it might bewell if the wave swept across SouthAfrica, and especially across that portionwhich is richest in mineral wealth,and, therefore, more to be desired.[6]South Africans and men from Europealike have written deprecating war, becauseof the vast suffering and loss itwould occasion to individuals. Dutchand English South Africans have written(as one in an able and powerful letterdated from Vrededorp, which appeareda few days ago) proving theinjustice that would be inflicted on thepeople of Africa, the violation oftreaties and trust. But, amid all thischorus of opinion there is one voicewhich, though heard, has not yet beenheard with that distinctness and fulnesswhich its authority demands—it is thevoice of the African-born Englishmanwho loves England, the man who, bornin South Africa, and loving it as allmen, who are men, love their birth-land,is yet an Englishman, bound toEngland not only by ties of blood, but[7]that much more intense passion whichsprings from personal contact alone.Our position is unique, and it wouldseem that we are marked out, at thepresent juncture of South African affairs,for an especial function, whichimposes on us, at whatever cost to ourselves,the duty of making our voicesheard and taking our share in the lifeof our two nations, at their
MOST CRITICAL JUNCTURE.
For, let us consider what exactlyour position is.
Born in South Africa, our eyes firstopened on these African hills andplains; around us, of other parentagebut born with us in the land, our birth-fellows,were men of another whiterace; and we grew up side by side withthem. Is it strange that, like all men[8]living, who have the hearts of men, welearnt to love this land in which wefirst saw light? In after years, when                        
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