Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-24
A BACKWARD STEP.

of territory in Africa is the subject of some
statistics which are furnished by the London
Economist. That journal states that the re-
cent partition gives to England a territory
of 500, 900 square miles, with population of
$3.50, 900; but the sphere of British influence
extends over territory of 1,650. 900 square
miles, with population of 80, 900, 900. The
French dominion and influence extends over
2,72O, 900 square miles, with population Of
IL, ,OOO, 900; while the German dominion and
influence covers !, ,100, 900 square miles. with
population that is not vet even guessed at.
The Economist gives utterance to a suspicion
that ''the fashion in which these lands have
been acquired is not at all bright page in
contemporary history"
That is an exceedingly diplomatic way of
putting it The fact is that there has not
been more wanton return on the part OF
civilization to the methods of force and
greed, than this Sc Izure of African territory
by England, France and Germany. When
the Spanish conquistadores offered the AZ
tees and Incas the crucifx with one hand
and the sword with the other, they had the
Give and Warren Hastings conducted their
enterprises of semi-civilized piracy in India,
it was a mitigation that they could see no
other way o. estab fishing civilized govern
ment there. Upto the present era the only
method adopted for the extension Of civili-
zation to barbsrous regions, has been by the
strong arm, with the solitary exception of
Penn; and the sharp bargain which the
canny Quaker drove with the Indians, proves
that even his honorable departure from the
usual course failed to come up to the full
measure of fair treatment.
But the consideration which makes the
resort by civilized powers to this theory
that they have the right to seize the terri
tory of barbarous tribes wherever they find
it, is the fact that they did so with full
light as to the better methods. When the
International grab game was inaugurated
the world had already designated the civil
lied means of opening up the Dark Conti-
nent. Stanley and Livingstone had
shown by their explorations the meth
ods by which civilized trade could
reach the natives. They had also dis
closed the awful need of effort on the
part of Christianity to arrest the slave
traders who preceded the civilized powers
in the conquess of Africa, and were only
more frankly brutal in the practical
declaration that the Continent belongs TO
the strong arm. The fruition OF their ex-
plorations came to perfection in the treaty
which established the Congo Free State. In
that State was framed the model by which
the whole of Africa could be opened up to
civilization; by which every nation could
stand on an equal footing in beneficial
trade; and by which the efforts alike of
civilized sel6shness and Mahometan saw
agery could be checked and rendered nuga-
tory. With that example before them, the
civilized powers deliberately cast aside its
beneficial features, and, simply to crafty
their respective greed for territory and trade,
returned to the old theory that they shall
take who have the power, and they shall
keep who can.
There would be sort of poetic justice if
the apprehensions of the London Economist
that tbe resort to the establishment of IRE
sponsible commercial companies will pro-
duce grave trouble, should prove we'll
founded. this, like the method of acquisition,
is return to a method of past age. 1t is
the restoration of monopolies which will re-
tard rather than hasten the development of
African trade by retaining the richest profits
in favored hands. and is undoubtedly resort
ed to to relieve officials from the responsible
itv of attemnts IN ertend trade
The whole transaction presents gigantic
example of the readiness with which civili-
zation rejects its own principles when its
selfish instincts can be gratifed thereby,
and raises doubt whether in the real spirit
of civilization, as distinct from its material
progress, the nineteenth century is much in
advance Of former ages.