Kruger
first visited the mining camp on February 14 1887. The town built a welcoming
archway with the words "LANK LEWE DIE PRESIDENT!!!" (Long live the
President) Many probably meant it. The President listened to the address
of welcome, but when it came to his turn he noticed some people were talking.
He was furious! He abruptly stopped speaking and told the gathering he
would resume his address outside Von Brandis's office at 4 pm. There he
gave them a Dutch finger-wagging. He warned them he was using spies to
watch Johannesburg and he ticked off what he called the "scabby ones".
He said that if the diggers did not behave, he would send his burghers
in. As he finished, a torrential downpour drenched the miserable sinners.He
also demanded that Dutch be the official language at all meetings. It was
clear warning of how Pretoria, with God's help, was to treat Johannesburg
down the years.
Kruger loses a
round
The cartoon
below, published on February 27 1897, was the first cartoon to appear in
The Star. It's appearance caused Paul Kruger, a week later, to ban the
newspaper. The caption read:
THE SCIENCE
OF SWOLLEN HEADS.
Professor Ch..............:"Bump
of forgiveness, obsent; Forgetfulness; ditto; Craft; highly developed;
Self-seteem, abnormal; Combativeness, growing; Morality, worth a million;
Foresight, impaired; Intellectuality, (see Morality); Acquisitiveness,
colossal; Consistency, a depression; Respect for Law, crowded out".
Oom P......:
"Ja, Ja, heeltemaal (sic) correct!"
The Volksraad in Pretoria
enacted a law which enabled the President to ban any newspaper which published
material which might have been in conflict with good morals or, in the
President's opinion, which threatened public order. Pakeman reacted by
publishing the first cartoon in The Star's history. It depicted Oom Paul
having his head examined. The cartoon seemed fair enough, but a month later,
March 24, 1897, Kruger banned the newspaper for three months! On that day
the Argus board was in session and was able to make an immediate decision.
Next day The Star did not appear - but a paper called The Comet
did. It's leading article, headed "Vanished into space" began with excruciatingly
laboured humour (humour was like that in those days); "The disappearance
of The Star is synchronous with the bursting in upon the gaze of mortal
man a very fine and fully developed Comet." The paper's sales rocketed!
The President was
incensed. In a secret note to the State Attorney he suggested all papers
be banned. The Attorney disagreed saying the initial ban was "somewhat
strict" and "law is after all rater Russian".
The Argus successfully
appealed to the Supreme Court against the banning and The Star reappeared
on April 15. That day Dormer editorialised: "Mr Kruger and his rash advisers
must surely begin to reflect. They not only pass bad laws but they cannot
even administer them in accordance with their own presumed intentions".
Taken from "Like
it was - The Star 100 years in Johannesburg"
Back
Sign
My Guestbook 
View
My Guestbook
Want
your own home page? 
Get
one free from Geocities