President by his own act
precipitated matters and caused the trouble himself, that matters
were completely in his hands, and that if he would deal with the
people in a liberal and statesmanlike way and grant the reforms which
were universally acknowledged to be necessary there would not be
anywhere in the world a more law-abiding and loyal community than
that of Johannesburg. The President answered merely by the question:
'If a crisis should occur, on which side shall I find the Americans?'
The answer was, 'On the side of liberty and good government.' The
President replied, 'You are all alike, tarred with the same brush;
you are British in your hearts.'

In reply to another deputation, representing a section of the
community which was not by any means at one with the reformers, but
the leading members of which still urged the necessity for reforms,
the President said, 'Either you are with me in the last extremity or
you are with the enemy; choose which course you will adopt. Call a
meeting to repudiate the Manifesto in its entirety, or there is final
rupture between us.' The gentlemen addressed declared emphatically
that on the Manifesto there could be no retreat. On that Johannesburg
was absolutely at one. The President replied, 'Then, I shall know how
to deal with Johannesburg,' and left the room.

The various business associations of Johannesburg and Pretoria
approached the President at different hours in these threatening
times, and did all that was possible to induce him to make reasonable
concessions. Although numbers of his followers and counsellors were
strongly in favour of doing something to avert the coming storm, the
President himself seemed inclined to fight until the last ditch was
reached rather than concede anything. In reply to the Mercantile
Association he said that he was quite willing to give the franchise,
but that it would be to those who were really worthy of it--those for
instance who rallied round the Government in this crisis and took
no part in the mischievous agitation and clamouring for so-called
reforms: all malcontents should be excluded. In fact he made it
perfectly plain that the franchise would be treated as a huge bribery
fund; and he himself was introducing the thin end of the wedge in
the suggestion made to the Association with a view to splitting
up the Reform Party in Johannesburg. He however added that the
special duties on food-stuffs would be immediately removed pending
conf