The native franchise was another difficult question.  At present neither natives nor “colored men” (the South-African term for men of mixed blood) can vote in the Transvaal, the Orange River, and Natal.  Nor is there the faintest possibility of the suffrage being extended to them, both the Dutch and the British being convinced that such a policy is a mistake.  In the Cape natives and colored men, if possessed of the necessary property and able to write their names, are allowed to vote.  The name writing is said to be a farce, the native drawing a picture of his name under guidance of his political boss.  Some 20,000 natives and colored people thus vote at the Cape, and neither the Progressives nor the Bond party dared to oppose the continuance of the franchise, lest the native vote should be thrown solid against them.  As a result each province will retain its own suffrage, at least until the South-African Parliament by a special majority of two-thirds in a joint session shall decide otherwise.

The future conformation of parties under the union is difficult to forecast.  At present the Dutch parties—­they may be called so for lack of a better word—­have large majorities everywhere except in Natal.  In the Transvaal General Botha’s party—­Het Volk, the Party of the People—­is greatly in the ascendant.  But it must be remembered that Het Volk numbers many British adherents.  For instance, Mr. Hull, Botha’s treasurer in the outgoing Government, is an old Johannesburg “reformer,” of the Uitlander days, and fought against the Boers in the war.  In the Orange Free State the party called the Unie (or United party) has a large majority, while at the Cape Dr. Jameson’s party of progressives can make no stand against Mr. Merriman, Mr. Malan, Mr. Sauer, and the powerful organization of the Afrikanderbond.

How the new Government will be formed it is impossible to say.  Botha and Merriman will, of course, constitute its leading factors.  But whether they will attempt a coalition by taking in with them such men as Sir Percy Fitzpatrick and Dr. Jameson, or will prefer a more united and less universal support is still a matter of conjecture.  From the outsider’s point of view, a coalition of British and Dutch leaders, working together for the future welfare of a common country, would seem an auspicious opening for the new era.  But it must be remembered that General Botha is under no necessity whatever to form such a coalition.  If he so wishes he can easily rule the country without it as far as a parliamentary majority goes.  Not long since an illustrious South-African, a visitor to Montreal, voiced the opinion that Botha’s party will rule South Africa for twenty years undisturbed.  But it is impossible to do more than conjecture what will happen. Ex Africa semper quid novi.

Most important of all is the altered relation in which South Africa will now stand to the British Empire.