SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 894, 13 August 1910, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS.

CAMPAIGN OPENS. OPPOSITION SPEAKERS ATTACK BOTHA CABINET. the Racial issue. By Telegraph— Press Association-Copyright. (Rcc. August 12, 9.2 p p.m.) -.'. Pretoria, August 12. The campaign in connection with text month's, elections for the first Union Parliament is.now opening. Meetings are'being hold nightly throughout the Transvaal, and the newspa-pers arc largely devoted to political controversy. The "Unionist (or Opposition) speakers are accusing tho reactionaries in General Botha's Cabinet of openly violating their leader's professed.principles, particularly on tho education question. They allege that a Government containing such incongruous elements is are to be found in tho present Cabinet cannot hold. together except on racial considerations. .. DR. JAMESON ON THE RAID. ITS OBJECT EXPLAINED. London, August 11. ' The newspaper '.'Standard of Empire" states that i)r. Jameson, leader of the South African Unionist Party, in his recent speech at Durban; outlined' the history of the ill-fated Jameson Raid in 1595. He declared that the object of the raid was not to upset tho Transvaal Republic,'but-to' make Mr. Lucas Moyor Dutch President. ■ " \ A SPIRIT 01 , KECONCILIATION. . A correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian," in a recent, letter on South African' affairs, said: In the existence of the prevailing spirit of good feeling and goodwill lies the best hope for the future success of .the Union scheme. It is too much to expect that the mere proclamation of yesterday or to-day will obliterate all racial auiinosity and bridge over at once the terrible gap which the late war has riven between the two) different-tongucd sections of the community, Yet it is indisputable that that ga.p is being bridged, and that these animosities are boing brushed away. Slowly, very gradually, but very distinctly and surely, thy spirit of real reconciliation, which shows itself in practical, effective co-operation, is becoming apparent, and it is more than probable, it is certain almost, that the advent of Onion will materially hasten its development in the up-country parts, where the speech of ,tho peoplo is still like the brash of bitter water and good fellowship still depends ou , a man's religion or his wife's behaviour during the limo of war. An interesting sign of the reality of this spirit of friendliness is to be found in the .recently-published literature of' the Taal. . Most of the stories and verses deal with the war in a curiously impcreonal manner; nearly every writer accepts tho conclusion that peace has cmleil tho struggle once for all,.and that the fight in the future is to be an amicable rivalry in striving to promote the best interests of the country. Local divisions there will always, be, and they may at times threaten, the very existence of .the-Union, but since the war South Africans"-of all classes and all parties have given- such signal testimony of their willingness to remember tho past only as a lesson, not as an example or a bone of contentioa, that it would bo unfair to imagine that they 'lull bo less whole-heartedly concerned'in cementing the friendship, that tho last few years Have established betwceiC'tho vari-ous-groups and sections, in the country now that 'they are united. .