The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1909. THE AFRICAN CAPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1909. THE AFRICAN CAPITAL.

The deadlock which threatened tho deliberations of the South African National Union Convention in regard to the'selection of. a capital has been averted by a curious compromise. Contending claims will be satisfied as far as possible by the virtual creation of two capitals, Cape Town being made tho seat of the Legislature, and i Pretoria the seat of tho Administration. The arrangement bears tho appearance cf being a stop-gap compromise, and, as such, it has its value. It enables tho delegates 'to return to their homes and recover ,from their protracted period of close discussion and high tension. But that it is, or is believed to bo, a workable proposition, wo take loave to doubt. Incidentally, it emphasises and may revive the original objections of Natal and the Orange River Colony against tho numerical composition of tho Conference. Equally sovereign States i with the other colonies, they should have had an equal number of representatives, instead of only five each, as against twelve for the old colony and eight for the Transvaal, and, as things aro, voting should have been by States, and not per capita,

The fact that a crisis should have arisen at tho Conference on tho question of a capital for the Federation came as a surprise to many. No ono knowing tho country would have been surprised if tho white franchise question, or tho coloured franchise question, had caused friction. In fact, plenty of peoplo have refused to believe in tho possibility of federation, because of the impossibility of reconciling widely divergent views on these two vital points. Yet both difficulties seem to have been solved without serious trouble, whilet a comparatively minor point camo to tho front with a rush, and threatened to hinder, if not destroy, the good work that had been dono. Of course, it had been known for some time that tho rival claims of Cape Town and Pretoria were being warmly supported by their respective adherents, but the cables had not prepared tho public for tho sudden outburst of dangerous heat. When its remarkably central position, its accessibility from all parts of the Federation, and its capacity for unlimited expansion are borne in mind, it may seem strange Uloemfontcin's claims were so consistently shelved. The explanation, apparently, is that tho Orange Eivor Colony is becoming increasingly an appanage of the Transvaal. The. slow-thinking farmers of the colony have been overborne by the greater energy of tho industrial' Transvaal, and, with tho possible exception of Sin John Fiusee, who is of tho minority, the colony has no public man who can compare with Mn, Smuts for education and general nimbleneas of intellect. Judged from an Imperial point of view, tho opponents of Capo Town were not without a case i'ho oity is pvo> L grossive t it is beautiiult it pos?

■sesses handsome buildings, it is wealthy, and its climate, is perfect, but it lies at one end of the Federation, nearly three days of continuous day and night travelling from Rhodesia, which is certainly destinod to ontor the Federation within the next, few. years. It is difficult of access from Natal, and it is a seaport, and, as such, is open to attack. Most of. theso advantages ■ and disadvantagesalso apply to Durban. As regards Pretoria, it is almost' at tho other end of the Federation,; it is not too accessible, and,; lying as it does, in a pit, it is not a very healthy place. And it is the Mecca of the back. veld Boer, who at present does not stand for progress. The final decision may yet be ,left to.a national referendum. . : . ,

; The general terms of the Constitution which has been agreed upon will bft awaited with . much -eagerness, not unmixed ■ with anxiety. Tho crucial points undoubtedly are the two franchise questions. If it. is true, as was rumoured soiho time ago, that tho coloured question had been settled on the basis of allowing the present Cape coloured franchise to die out naturally, it is probable/; that the settlement will be accepted by tho inhabitants-of the other colonies. They will not liko / it, but it seems to. be the best, and, indeed, the only way of getting the Cape representatives out of a most difficult position; As, rogaxds thd white franchise, the vital point is, will it give the principle of "one vote one value, basedon'the'electoral regisIf it does, it will:certainly satisfy, the Cape, the Transvaal, and the Orange Biver Colony, and will go far towards reconciling Natal to unification, for she will then be freed from h'or undoubted (fear of perpetual' Dutch rule. If the ■queation ■Iβ.not.settled in.the-way; indicated, . it: is doubtful; whether ' any permanent result of a satisfactory nature' will have been'attained by the CoriferJ enco. Both cabled news and private adI vices; of .recent, dates suggest that "bottom" has at last been .reached .in the Transvaal industrial world. -The recent i large amalgamation of' mines at the. wes-. tern; end of the Golden City, and other, rumoured' amalgamations, point to- a bo- ! lief: on v the': part of ,■ the;, mine-owners that things ..; are : moving .. up .to i ; the, normal. ,; Should the . results - of J the .Conference -bo satisfactory, w may [expect to see. a speedy -rovival of oonfifdence/amongst the capitalists, arid once I that. is., made ..evident the forward .progress of South Africa will astonish the ■world.;: ; ",. :? - -■ ■■■;".'.; ■;.:.; ■-■,-•.■;; ; -:; ;: