en the proposals came to extend the franchise,
such proposals had to come from old burghers, and so far the old
burghers had not signified their willingness that this should be
done. On the contrary, a large number of them were against it. They
did not wish to exclude the new-comers for all eternity, but just now
they should make no concession. It stood to reason that the
new-comers could not have so much interest in the country as the old
inhabitants. He cautioned the Raad against accepting the
recommendations of Mr. Meyer. _It would be contrary to Republican
principles_. Yes, he repeated it would be contrary to the principles
of Republicanism, and were newcomers admitted to the franchise the
old burghers would be deprived of all their rights. They would not
dare to vote or exercise any of their privileges. Those persons who
signed the petition for the franchise said they were peaceful and
law-abiding citizens, _but they gave a sign that they were not
law-abiding, because they were against the law. The Election Law was
there, and they should abide by it._

The CHAIRMAN called the speaker to order and advised him to keep to
the point, whether it was desirable to extend the franchise or not.

Mr. TOSEN said he was cut short, but in a few words he would say that
he would resist to the bitter end any attempt to alter the law as it
at present stood. He spoke on behalf of his constituents and himself.

Mr. JEPPE, in the course of his speech, said: Who are the people who
now demand from us a reasonable extension of the franchise? There are
to begin with almost a thousand old burghers who consent to such
extension. There are in addition 890 petitioners, also old burghers,
who complain that the franchise has been narrowed by recent
legislation. There are 5,100, chiefly from the Rand, who ask for
extension subject to the ballot, the principle of which has already
been adopted by you, and there is lastly a monster petition, bearing
35,700 names, chiefly from the Rand goldfields: and in passing I may
mention that I have convinced myself that the signatures to it, with
very few exceptions perhaps are undoubtedly genuine. Well, this
petition has been practically signed by the entire population of the
Rand. There are not three hundred people of any standing whose names
do not appear there. It contains the name of the millionaire
capitalist on the same page as that of the carrier or miner, that of
the owner of half a district next