o promote a meeting at Bloemfontein between
Sir Alfred Milner and President Kruger. The Uitlander Council drew
up the following declaration:--

"The proposals submitted at the Bloemfontein Conference by his
Excellency the High Commissioner were briefly:

"1. That the Uitlanders possessing a certain property or wages
qualification, on proving that they had resided five years in the
country and on taking an oath of allegiance, be given full burgher
rights.

"2. That there should be such a distribution of seats as would give
to the new-comers a substantial representation in the First
Volksraad, but not such as would enable them to swamp the old
burghers.

"All must admit that this scheme is most conservative, because--

"(_a_). It does not restore to the Uitlanders all the rights of
which they have been unjustly deprived since the retrocession.

"(_b_). Nearly the whole revenue of the country is derived from the
taxation of the Uitlanders.

"(_c_). The Uitlanders form at least two-thirds of the total white
population. (This was practically admitted by President Kruger at
the Conference.)

"(_d_). In most new countries one or two years' residence ensures
full voting power. There is no reason why there should be more
stringent conditions in operation in this State than in Natal or
Cape Colony, or than those which existed until quite recently in
the Orange Free State, and which were only changed from one to
three years on account of the unhealthy political conditions in the
South African Republic.

"Notwithstanding, however, the conservative character of the scheme,
the Uitlander Council consider that the proposals of his Excellency
the High Commissioner are calculated in no small degree to bring
about a practical and permanent settlement. But in the opinion of
the Uitlander Council, it is essential at the outset to fix
definitely the conditions under which:

"1. All duly qualified persons can get the franchise without any
unnecessary expense, trouble, or delay, and without being subjected
to any kind of intimidation.

"2. Those who have got the franchise shall be able to use it
effectively.

"3. Redistribution of seats shall take place periodically by
automatic arrangement, and representation shall bear some definite
relation to the number of electors.

"Having regard to the recent history of the Government of this
country, and the facility with which even fundamental laws are and
may be changed, the Uitl