en, the curious feature about the matter is that the
Government gets some petty fraction of this vast sum, and the
concessionnaires have on this plea obtained enormous advances of
public moneys from the Government, without security, to carry on
their trade. Shortly, the concessionnaires are entitled to charge
90s. a case for dynamite, while it could be bought if there were no
concession for about 30s. a case. It may be stated incidentally, that
Mr. Wolmarans, a member of the Government, has been for years
challenged to deny that he is enjoying a royalty of 2s. on every case
of dynamite sold, and that he has up to the present moment neglected
to take up the challenge. Proper municipal government is denied to
us, and we all know how much this means with regard to health,
comfort, and the value of property. The Statute Books are disfigured
with enactments imposing religious disabilities; and the English
language, the language spoken by the great bulk of the people, is
denied all official recognition. The natural result of the existing
condition of things is that the true owners of the mines are those
who have invested no capital in them--the Government, the railway
concessionnaires, the dynamite concessionnaires, and others. The
country is rich, and under proper government could be developed
marvellously, but it cannot stand the drain of the present exactions.
We have lived largely upon foreign capital, and the total amount of
the dividends available for shareholders in companies is ridiculously
small as compared with the aggregate amount of capital invested in
mining ventures. Some day the inevitable result upon our credit and
upon our trade will be forced upon us.

HATRED OF THE SAXON.

There is no disguising the fact that the original policy of the
Government is based upon intense hostility to the English-speaking
population, and that even against the enfranchised burgher of this
State there is the determination to retain all power in the hands of
those who are enjoying the sweets of office now, and naturally the
grateful crowd of relations and friends and henchmen ardently support
the existing _regime_; but there are unmistakable signs, and the
President fears that the policy which he has hitherto adopted will
not be sufficient to keep in check the growing population. It seems
the set purpose of the Government to repress the growth of the
industry, to tax it at every turn, to prevent the working classes
from settlin