er ▁Bond , ▁which ▁represented ▁the ▁asp ir ations ▁of ▁the ▁Af rik an er ▁people , ▁and ▁had ▁active ▁branches ▁in ▁the ▁Free ▁State . ▁This ▁alter ation ▁in ▁the ▁political ▁out look ▁was ▁accompanied , ▁and ▁in ▁part ▁occasion ed , ▁by ▁economic ▁changes ▁of ▁great ▁significance . ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁diam ond ▁mines ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁gold ▁and ▁coal ▁indust ries ▁— ▁of ▁which ▁Brand ▁saw ▁the ▁beginning ▁— ▁had ▁far - re aching ▁consequences , ▁bringing ▁the ▁Bo er ▁republic s ▁into ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁industrial ▁era . ▁The ▁Free ▁Stat ers , ▁under ▁Brand ' s ▁rule , ▁had ▁shown ▁considerable ▁ability ▁to ▁adapt ▁their ▁policy ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁alter ed ▁situation . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁an ▁agreement ▁made ▁between ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁and ▁the ▁Cape ▁Col ony ▁government , ▁where by ▁the ▁latter ▁was ▁emp ower ed ▁to ▁extend , ▁at ▁its ▁own ▁cost , ▁its ▁railway ▁system ▁to ▁Blo em f onte in . ▁The ▁Free ▁State ▁retained ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁purchase ▁this ▁extension ▁at ▁cost , ▁a ▁right ▁it ▁exerc ised ▁after ▁the ▁James on ▁Ra id . ▁ ▁Having ▁accepted ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁government ▁in ▁construct ing ▁its ▁railway , ▁the ▁state ▁also ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁entered ▁into ▁a ▁Custom s ▁Union ▁Convention ▁with ▁them . ▁The ▁convention ▁was ▁the ▁outcome ▁of ▁a ▁conference ▁held ▁at ▁Cape ▁Town ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁at ▁which ▁deleg ates ▁from ▁Natal , ▁the ▁Free