Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-12
The Rights OF Aborigines.

Nearly every newspaper in the country
printed cablegram from Berlin dated
Jan. 3, which said, "During the sitting
of the conference to-day Mr.. Kasson, the
American Minister, repeatedly expressed
the desire of America that the rights OF
the abOrlgines should be respected" The
conference alluded to is that which Is in
session at Berlin, composed of represen-
tatives of the various powers, technically
so called, interested in the Congo ques-
ton. and the aborigines mentioned are
the natives of the immense regions which
European powers are trying to appropri-
ate and to keep each other from appro-
priating.
The fact that our Minister took advan-
tage of every pause in the discussions of
the conference to advocate in kind #
general way the rights of the native At
ricans does credit to his heart, if not to
his head, and America, whose supposed
desires he expressed, no doubt, in a very
eloquent manner, is probably very CRATE
full to him.
With those Americans, however, who
feel real and humane interest in the ma
tiyes Of the Congo country, it is matter
OF regret that Mr.. KassOn was not little
more specific. Perhaps the conference
will very readily agree that the rights
involved ought to be respected, but it may
not be easy for it to agree as to the stand
ard by which said rights are to be deter
mined. The great question, therefore, is q;
| Shall the rights of the aborigines be &C
| knOwledged according to European,
! American, or African ideas and tradl-
| tions?
| The European idea of aboriginal rights
is well-known to every student of history.
In Europe the Well-established doctrine
is that might is right. 1t will not be con-
tended, however, that the Europeans have
any intention to take advantage of their
acknowledged power to enslave the ma
tives of Africa. Judging from their deal
ings with aborigines of other regions, they
will be perfectly willing for the Africans
to retain their freedom provided they will
support themselves and give up to civil
ization ali their earnings in the shape OF
ivory, gum, hides, etc.
| The American idea is, perhaps, broader
and more liberal. Americans believe in
! giving full value for every league of land
or anything else taken from the abO-
rhymes. They maintain, however, that
the developers" of the land shall have
| the privilege of representing both sides
in the bargains, and fixing all the values
| themselves. For instance, proper
| equivalent for a thousand square leagues
of land on the Congo would probably be
six muskets of the pattern of 1912,
twelve strings of glass beads and eight
| yards OF red ribbon.
If tho rights of the aborigines are to be
respected according to African ideas it
ought to be so decided by the conference.
The right OF each OF the hundreds of Atri-
| can Kings and Princes to have wives
| without limit as to number ought 10 be
guaranteed. The powers ought to pledge
| themselves not to modest the ancient
| forms of religion, to interfere with the
human sacrifices, to prohibit the diet of
long pig, or to introduce pauper laborers
| from Europe To ruin the slave trade in
| the interior. England should OBJ igate
itself to furnish machine-made idols at
INV plAJCos clo II AtNiAN III blC bChA5
children OF Asia, and Holland ought to be
made to furnish at least one ship load of
rum for every missionary that is allowed
to go into the valley.
If Minister KassOn has covered any of
the points herein roughly sketched, or
evolved any specific ideas Of his own, the
cable has done him the injustice not to
mention it. If he has advocated no
| specific policy in the treatment of the
abOrigines of the Congo, it is to be feared
| that he will be charged with indulging in
meaningless gush, that is likely to bring
him into as great disrepute as a diplo-
matist as his illustrious predecessor, and
perhaps even the gratitude of his country
may go no further than to relieve him of
the OnerOus duties Of his office, and to
save his nasal appendage from further
contact with the public grindstOne.
st. John is again anead in the cOntro-
versy. He is the last man to call his
enemy q ssliarD