nsulting and advising them.
Let us keep nothing from them regarding the true position, and I am
sure we shall have their hearty co-operation in any reasonable
scheme we may suggest. This is a duty we owe them, for we must not
leave them under the impression that the Uitlanders are satisfied to
remain aliens, as stated by some of the journals. I move amongst
these people, and learn to know their true feelings, and when public
journals tell you that these people are satisfied with their lot
they tell you that which they know to be false. Such journals are
amongst the greatest sources of danger that the country has. We are
informed by certain members that a proposition for the extension of
the Franchise must come from the burghers, but, according to the
Franchise Law, the proposition must come from the Raad, and the
public must consent. The member for Rustenberg says that there are
9338 burghers who have declared that they are opposed to the
extension of the Franchise. Upon reference to the Report he will
find that there are only 1564 opposed to the extension. Members
appear afraid to touch upon the real question at issue, but try to
discredit the memorials by vague statements that some of the
signatures are not genuine, and the former member for Johannesburg,
Mr. J. Meyer, seems just as anxious to discredit the people of
Johannesburg as formerly he was to defend them."

In spite of all that was said and done, however, no progress was
made. The debate was closed on the third day, the request of the
memorialists was refused, and they were referred for satisfaction to
the existing laws.

About this time the Transvaal came very near to war with Great
Britain. As before stated, Mr. Kruger was much bound up with the
affairs of the Netherlands Railway Company and its Hollander-German
promoters. He attempted to divert the stream of Johannesburg traffic
to Delagoa Bay, for the purpose of keeping profit from the pockets
of the British. The freights, however, were evaded by unloading the
goods at the frontier, and taking them across the Vaal in waggons.
It was easy thus to forward goods--between Johannesburg and Viljoens
Drift--direct by the Cape Railway.

But Mr. Kruger was not to be defeated. In October 1895, he closed
the drifts or fords of the Vaal to all waggon loads of goods from
Cape Colony. Unfortunately the President had over-reached himself.
The people of Cape Colony and those of the Free State were
indignant, and the