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Report on General J.B.M. Hertzog's Speech at Nylstroom, 5 October 1912

[The Star, 5 October 1912].

He dwelt on the language agitation, and said he would go out of his way to meet the English section, provided no sacrifice of principle were involved. The Dutch were the least aggressive people in the world. At the show he noticed everything was in English, though to say the least of it half those present and interested were Dutch-speaking. Would not, if circumstances had been reversed, the English section have claimed half a share? Nobody could abandon the people's language rights without stigmatising himself as a traitor. The English section did not need his advance [sic. a dvocacy?] with regard to their language. That was why he confined himself to Dutch. They were all equals, and the Dutch people would not yield one inch on the question of practical equality of language, for he was not an advocate of mere form.

The address of welcome had mentioned national ideals. Well, it was just on this question that the fight between the Nationalists and Unionists was being waged. He and his were South Africans first of all. The paramount question to him always was, what are South Africa's interests? The Opposition had started a farcical campaign in order to infuse life into a child whose existence was almost despaired of. Colonel Byron had accused him of wanting to make the Africander "boss". Colonel Byron was quite right, for he (the speaker) would continue to work for the dominance of the Africander in South Africa. He would always fight against Colonel Byron and foreign adventurers of his kidney being the people's trustee. For years that had been South Africa's misfortune. Dr. Smartt was today no more an Africander than when he first set foot here. Some people became imbued with the South African spirit the day after they landed. But some people were not likely to become Africanders in 100 years. Colonel Byron was one of them, and always compared the Government of this country with Australia to the former's disadvantage. Why did not Colonel Byron take a single ticket journey to Australia?

Proceeding, General Hertzog attacked the Opposition for its attitude on immigration, and said that 663 immigrants had cost the Transvaal £1,350,000 since 1902. This was not the end of it, and did not include the value of the Crown lands given them. Two hundred and twenty-three had entirely failed and £210,000 were irretrievably lost to the Exchequer. At this rate £2,000,000 a year would have to be allowed for immigration in future, because surely the Opposition would take nothing less than 1,000 immigrants annually. No, they would have to build up the country as one built a house, putting one brick after another in its exact place, and not dump immigrants down on the country as one dumped bricks from a Scotch cart, because that would not build a house.

The political fight was no longer between English-speaking and Dutch-speaking South Africans, but between those two on the one hand and foreign, mostly English-speaking, adventurers on the other. The Natal people were Africanders, and the Opposition would make no headway in Natal. In 1910 the people might have assimilated the Opposition, just as a farmer might put bastard sheep among his "mofschapen" (pure-bred merino sheep) but once the separation had been made complete by such things as the "Vote British" cry, re-union became increasingly difficult. He would continue to speak on such like subjects as long as the Opposition spoke in its present vein.

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