Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/95

Rh the footpaths of prominent streets in Durban for fear he should be insulted or pushed off.

We are the "Asian dirt " to be "heartily cursed," we are "chokeful of vice " " and we live upon rice, "we are " stinking ooolies " living on " the smell of an oiled rage," we are " the black vermin," we are described in the Statute Books as " semi-barbarous Asiatics, or persons belouging to the uncivilised races of Asia," We "breed like rabbits" and a gentleman at a meeting lately held in Durban said he "was sorry we could not be shot like them." There are coaches running between certain places in the Transvaal. We may not sit inside them." is a sore trial, apart) from the indignity it involves and contemplates, to have to sib outside them either ia deadly winter morning, for the winter is severe in the Transvaal, or under a burning sun, though we are Indians. The hotels refine us admission. Indeed, there are oases in which respectable Indians have found it difficult even to procure refreshments at European places. It was only a short time ago that a gang of Europeans set fire to an Indian store in a village (cries of shame) called Dundee in Natal doing some damage, and another gang threw burning crackers into the Indian stores in a business street in Durban. This feeling of intense hatred has been reproduced into legislation in the various States of South Africa restricting the freedom of Indians in many ways. To begin with, Natal, which is the most important from an Indian point of view, has of late shown the greatest activity in passing Indian legislation. Till 1894, the Indians had been enjoying the franchise equally with the Europeans under the general franchise law of the, Colony, which entitles any adult male being a British subject to be placed on the voters' list, who possesses immoveable