But his
situation was intolerable, and after successive attempts at
peaceful agitation, and numerous humble petitions to the Volksraad,
he began at last to realise that he would never obtain redress
unless he could find some way of winning it for himself.
Without attempting to enumerate all the wrongs which embittered the
Uitlanders, the more serious of them may be summed up in this way.
1. That they were heavily taxed and provided about seven-eighths of
the revenue of the country. The revenue of the South African
Republic - which had been 154,000 pounds in 1886, when the gold
fields were opened - had grown in 1899 to four million pounds, and
the country through the industry of the newcomers had changed from
one of the poorest to the richest in the whole world (per head of
population).
2. That in spite of this prosperity which they had brought, they,
the majority of the inhabitants of the country, were left without a
vote, and could by no means influence the disposal of the great
sums which they were providing. Such a case of taxation without
representation has never been known.
3. That they had no voice in the choice or payment of officials.
Men of the worst private character might be placed with complete
authority over valuable interests. Upon one occasion the Minister
of Mines attempted himself to jump a mine, having officially
learned some flaw in its title.
