Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-07
SUNDAY THOUGHTS
MORALS MANNERS.
BY A CLERGYMAN.

BY A CLERGYMAN.
IwRrTrEN FOR THE DrsPATcH.1
One of the most interesting and sugges-
tive moves on the chess-board of affairs is
this Congo Railroad. Think of It'll A path
way of iron opening up Central Africa. A
railroad laid not in Utopia, but from the sea
coast into the very heart of the dark con-
tinenL
Nor is this mere project Under the
auspices OF Belgium. the money needed has
been practically raised, s40O, 900 more, only,
being called for. Competent engineers have
indorsed the physical feasibility of it.
Competent economists have Endorsed the
commercial value of it. Competent
philanthropists have Endorsed the civilizing
power of it. The Upper Congo
and its tributaries form an i'm
mense net work of navigable channels with
1886 miles in length Of shore. The country
Is rich in minerals of all kinds. including gold.
The ivory and India rubber exports are even
now considerable. This vast area, these
enormous raw materials will be developed and
brought into market by the Congo Railroad.
But have the negroes any commercial apti-
tude? YES" responds NJ. LIE Ghait, the
DOieium minister 20 w dSnlnSLOH, III AAtcA-
view published in the New York Herald, "and
very great aptitude. too. Stanley has said that
the aboriginal of Africa is a born trader. De
Chaillu, the French explorer. makes almost the
same statement, and adds that, If once the
rivers are opened freely to civilized specu-
iators the passion of the aboriginals for COM
merce will quickly develop the abundant re-
sources of the country. The ardor OF the
negroes for trading constitutes. perhaps, the
greatest chance of success for this great Afri.
m vnrl hnn al
races of America he was not able to establish
reciprocal contact with them at once; they
receded before him. and, in reality, the Eu-
ropean did not subjugate the red man, but sup
pressed him. Here there is nothing oil that
sort to fear. The mercantile sense, SO strong
ly developed in the negro, leads him naturally
tons with him, and to become his auxiliary.
BY the contact of the two races we shall sue
coed. not In suppressing the negro race, but.
on the contrary in fortfying 1t and civllizing
1t. and. later, in emancipating it,"
The opportunity offered by this railroad to
Christianity is the happiest OF all its services:
Christians everywhere will watch 1t and avail
themselves OF it with eagerness.
Woes of Asiatlc Women.
The condition of women in Asia is singularly
wretched. The Chinese proverb DEGREES them
to be shadows and echos in the house." India
secludes and thus excludes them. The Hindoo
women are perhaps the most unhappy within
the bounds at nominal civilization. The theory
Is that they are made only for marriage. Mar
riage is a commercial affair, settled not by the
interested parties, but by their parents-actual
barter and sale. Usually it is contracted in
childhood and consummated when the boy-hus-
band and girl-wife are in their early teens.
After marriage the woman disappears. is oblit-
Grated, is absorbed in the man. The law of the
Shdsters says: when she is in his presence
she must keep her eyes on her master and be
ready to receive his commands. When he
speaks she must be silent (what do our Ameri.
can women say to that0 When he calls she
must leave everything else and attend upon
him alone. A woman has no other god upon
earth than her husband"
In case the husband dies, the condition of the
widow is, IL possible, yet more forlorn than the
status of the wife. She may never marry again
though perhaps betrothed in infancy and
married at 10 or IL She is regarded with con-
tempt as though the death of her husband had
disgraced her. She is expected to practice Sc
we're and lifelong austerities. She is converted
into the drudge of the household and loaded
down with menial tasks.
In spite of English law, infanticide prevails
still in India to such frightfuI extent that it
it Is authoritatively stated that the proportion
of infanticides equals one-third of the births of
female children. Males are more highly re-
garded. But girl is the most worthless thing
in nature-next to O womani
Ought we not to sympathize with and allevi-
ate such woe? Should not the Christian women
of America, dishonored in their own sex pour
out prayers, money, efforts to right this hoary
wrong and aim to clothe their unhappy sisters
yonder across the sea In the beautiful garments
with which Christianity has robed themf