The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-16
AFRICAN CIVILIZATION.

AFRICAN CIVILIZATION.
A congress of the European powers
for the amicable settlement Of their vast
and conflicting interests in the dark
continent has become an absolute ne
cessity, if the peace Of Europe is not to
be imperilled. True to her colonizing
and trading instincts, England was
amongst the first to grasp the opportun-
ity of extending still farther her COM
mercial interests and consequently has
so far obtained the lions share OF Afri-
can soil and influence. But Of recent
years other European rivals have real
lied the truth of the theory that CON-
merce follows the flag and have used
their utmost efforts to regain a footing
they had thoughtlessly allowed to slip,
or to make fresh acquisitions to whose
future value their eyes are now fully
opened. Portugal has revived her old
claims to the country round Delagoa
Bay, Belgium claims the Congo country
40 her special tributary, France has OBJ
tanned exclusive possession Of large
part of the north and Germany seems to
be throwing herself, heart, soul and
purse, into widespread colonization
schemes. If the lines laid down on the
former admittedly imperfect maps of the
continent were at all to be relied on, the
fear of friction would be materially les
sened, but their very imperfection has
paved the way for all kinds of illegal &C
QUESTION of territory by each and all of
the countries whose interests are in
volved. Nor is this the main difficulty.
In the struggle that the last few years
of earth-hunger have developed, settled
boundaries and divisions, it is notorious,
have been purposely overstepped, and
tho result is not likely to be favorable to
the maintenance of European peace.
The small cloud has already arisen on
the horizon in the shape of the disagree
ment between England and Portugal
with regard to country the latter claims
in the vicinity Of Delagoa Bay. Under
all the circumstances, this difficulty is
likely to have pacific solution,
for Great Britain is too pow
erful to make it a profit
able matter for the smaller country to
have a quarrel with the larger on her
hands, but when "Greek meets Greek,
then comes the tug of war;" II the
present state of things is allowed to con-
tinue, the interests of England and
Germany will, it is safe to say, sooner or
later clash. The movements of Wiss-
man and the projected expedition of
Emin Pasha, both in the German inter-
est, are being watched with jealous
eyes by English statesmen. The dis
missal Of Bismarck may prove OF OK
treme Importance in the sequence OF
events. It was believed and recognized
in England that the great
chancellor had no desire to
antagonize the interests of Eng
land in East Africa, and that his in
fluence made for the maintenance OF
the agreement Of 1887, but it is mat.
ter of current belief that Won Caprivi is
very far from adopting the creed of his
predecessor in this particular matter
That Germany means to continue hel
career as colonial power, the kaiser's
speech in the reichstag decided beyond
q doubt; and the "bullet and thu
Bibles" he declared must be the spring
Of success. That England will take {
single retrograde step her traditional
and present policy compels us to disbe
lieve. Altogether there are the making
of very pretty quarrel simmering i
Africa to-day, unless the congress sul
gested should pass from the region {
vague possibilities into the world {
actual fact.