The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-05-23
ARABS.

Y
An Amiable People Who Arc Com
monty Misrepresented.
A Faithful Account of tho Natives and
Their characteristics BY Mis-
slonary to tho Dark
Continent.
81 have travelled" said Capt. E. G
Hore to representative Of the New
York Sun, lover ten thousand miles on
foot and IN canoes in Africa, and have
never been molested, nor have found
it necessary to lift a weapon against a
native Ibelieve the slaughter Of natives
is wholly inexcusable crime. It re-
quires patience and common sense to
get along with them, but any white
man who has these qualities can travel,
believe, from one end of the country
to the other without being injured.
When the natives first see white man
they often imagine that he may intend
to do them harm, and this explains
their hostile attitude. If he is a little
patient and convinces them, as it is not
difficult to do, that his intentions are
friendly he will have no trouble. AS
soon as the Africans believe he means
well they will be his friends. The ma
tives are like children and they must
be treated with patience and forbear-
ance. Under proper influences they can
be nodded and adapted for better life
than that of mere savagery. They have
capacity for development, and it is easy
to turn them either toward good or
evil. It is necessary to use tact with
them, but in my opinion tact is nothing
more than patience, forbearance and a
proper consideration for their feelings. :"
'Have you ever met Tippu Tib?"
Capt. Hore was asked.
eyes. / know him very we'll. Tippu
lib has been great deal caricatured
and misrepresented. l believe him one
of the best men have met in central
Africa. His treatment of the whites,
so far as can tell by personal expert
ence, has been kind and fair. He is a
shrewd and able man. do not believe
there are good grounds for accusing
him of breach of faith in his relations
with the whites, am not surprised
that the Congo state officials say he has
kept the pledges he made when he be-
came governor of the Stanley Falls dis
trict. He gave to Mr.. Gleerup the mon
ey, or rather the ivory and goods. re-
quired to pay his way across Africa, and
also letters to Arabs he would meet on
his way to the coast, and a letter from
Tippu lib means a good deal, for a word
from him is all that is required to in
duce the Arabs to be most hospitable
and helpful to the white travellers.
Tippu lib has an enormous influence.
I do not believe ne has ever been the
great slave-raider he has been repre-
sented. To be sure, there are and have
been thousands of natives in his service,
and they call him their master, but
many of them have voluntarily placed
themselves under his protection, desir-
ing for mere safety's sake to become
servants of man whoi is able to protect
them.
''The conditions of life in central
Africa are very different from those in
civilized lands, and we cannot judge
people there by our standards. There
has been great deal of cruel and un-
lust condemnation Of the Arabs in cen
trail Africa. It is the height of injustice
to talk about sweeping them away
They have secured rights in central
Africa which should be respected, and
there is no doubt that if properly influ
enced they can be made helpful instead
of detrimental to white influences in
that country. The many reports we
see in which the Arabs are condemned
by wholesale are exaggerated and un-
Just, and hope the whites who are now
going into the country will see that their
best interests will be served if they treat
the Arabs with Justice"
Capt. Rore thinks that the natives
should be treated much as a father
treats his children. He is inclined to
agree with the opinion expressed by
Jerome Becker that the natives must
be made to work. It is useless to ex-
pect that in any large part of equatorial
Africa white men can do the heavy
work of the field and shop. The native
must be the laborer. He can be taught
to work and to acquire habits of indus
try. He must be disciplined as kind,
wise father disciplines his children. All
this can be done without injuring him.
without FORGETTING his respect Or affec-
ton, and in the end he will be better
and happier, and will have advanced in
the scale of civilization.
81 hope before great while" con-
tinued Capt. Hore, Ito see railroad
from the coast, say from Dares SUDAN
to Tanganyika- The country may be
developed, but not to any important ex,
tent until good communications with
the coast are established. A railroad is
necessity Of progress.
s'The climate of equatorial Africa is
not so bad" continued Capt. Hore, las
many people suppose. A large part OF
the mortality among the whites who
have been in central Africa is due to
their lack of all the comforts and con
veniences. of life. Put man in that
wilderness, almost out Of reach OF com
munication with his friends. without
| nroner food. suitable clothing, or COM