If they resign themselves to such a course, it is only as a last resource.
The truth of these general assertions is verified in the case in point by two documents which have not been fabricated after the events.
They are the reports of the Chamber of Mines, published by Mr.Rouliot, in January 1898, and January 1899.[18] [Footnote 17: _Le Siecle_, April 7th, 1900.] [Footnote 18: Published in the _Revue Sud-Africaine_ (Paris).] 2 .-- _A Local Board._ The report made by Mr.Rouliot to the Chamber of Mines on January 20th, 1898, refers to the burdens imposed upon the gold industry by the faulty administration of the Transvaal.

It shows how the Volksraad contemptuously rejected, in 1897, a petition signed by more than ten thousand inhabitants of all nationalities and all professions.

It declares that "the Chamber of Mines has no desire to interfere in the conduct of general affairs in the Transvaal"; it recalls the fact that the Commission of Enquiry nominated after the Crisis of 1896, had recommended the constitution of a "Local Board" which President Krueger had contemptuously rejected; and goes on to say:-- "It is nonsense to affirm that the creation of such a Board would have made a government within a government, and would have threatened the independence of the State.

At the time that we made the proposal, we sincerely trusted that what had happened might be buried in oblivion and that we might dwell together in amity.

We had hoped that the burghers would have recognised that want of experience, and their education would have made them unfitted for dealing with the most difficult problems that could face a young nation, and that they would have seen the necessity of calling men to their aid who could give them the benefit of their experience, and help them to ensure sound conditions for the State and its industrial development.