THE SOUTH AFRICAN FRANCHISE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
[Correspondents are requested to keep their letters as brief as is reasonably possible. The most suitable length is that of one of our "News of the Week" paragraphs. Signed letters are given fl preference over those bearing a pseudonym.—Ed. THE SeEctArox.]
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
STR,—Professor Berriedale Keith's assertions would carry much more weight if he had stated what in his opinion con- stitutes a "civilised native." Those of us who have lived for some time among natives in Africa know that the very worst type of native is the so-called "civilised native" to be found in every township on Saturday and Sunday evenings. These creatures with their crude ideas of" civilisa- tion" imitate all the very worst habits of the whites ; and are certainly not the people to be entrusted through the franchise with the future of South Africa.
The Professor quotes Mr. Rhodes's idea ; and as I knew Cecil Rhodes quite well, and often wrote political articles while staying with him at Groote Schuur, I can say he never contemplated "equal rights for all civilised men" ; but he did do so "for all educated white men south of Zambesi." Mr. Rhodes had a great belief in the power of the Chiefs ; and many think, as he did, a great mistake was made in the Cape Province when a modified franchise was substituted for the rule of the Chiefs. The inclination is now once again to restore in some degree the authority of the Chiefs.
The Professor says he does not see how the franchise question and miscegenation are combined. He should visit Portuguese Africa and he would soon learn the danger. There is no question in the present Cape Legislation about colour forming an " impassable bar between Union Nationals" ; the point is, as I have already stated, that for the present time there has to be some compromise in the native legislation as existing in the different Provinces in order to harmonise the native legislation for the whole Union; and while it is absolutely impossible to treat black and white on exactly— note the word "exactly "—the same franchise footing ; some other alternative to the practice existing solely in the Cape Province had to be found. As with all legislation the whole world over—the arrangement now come to may not be perfect or permanent for ever ; but it is believed by a very large majority of people who know the circumstances to be the best available under present conditions and certainly the only one under which political agreement could be arrived at.
The Professor's " dubious " sneers at the quality and "narrow interests" of certain Union Nationals he happens to have met, may be passed by without notice. He has either been singularly unlucky in his meetings ; or he doesn't know anything about them at all. I should imagine the latter.
The Transfer of all Native Territories South of Zambesi to the care of the Union Government is only a matter of time ; for no other Government can effectively carry out their administration except by and with the consent of the Union Government whose territory and jurisdiction sur- rounds them.
The past history of South Africa is full of egregious mistakes made by well-meaning people at home ; but by the powers of the Westminster Act, and the equality of Status as a Nation now enjoyed by South Africa with Great Britain, she is determined to see that repetition of error through ignorant interference does not happen again.—I am, yours
faithfully, MONTROSF.. Auchmar, Drymen, Glasgow.
Previous page
