Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-09
ODD SORT OF SLAVERY,


A Tsrribie rorm Of Kmployu ent THAT
Hangs over tho Head Of Iyery MAZDA d.
gascarone- what "T,nampcens' aieani
To- n Bsrbsrpus People.
Not only Is slavery universal through
out Madagascar, hut also Is there still
more gigantic evil, and one which is
even moro surely crushing the manhood
aud stiiling the life Of that curious and
beautiful country.
"Faiampoana,' or forced labor, hns n
protean shape 1t may best be under.
stood by describing Il ~ pariaking oftho
nature OF the corvoe; II u also applied to
conscription, TO all kinds Of government
service: It ia part Of the feudal system.
and It even sometimes takes the shupo q
n .logging bee" II would be- unjust 10
the astute old man who prcsidcs over the
destiuics Of the people Of that country II
IL were not stated that he has more than
once considered n plan by which u might
b. modified aud reformed. But the sys-
ten /. too deeply woven into the inner
life OF the nation 10 bo dealt with except
by a master hand, and then only with
the assistance Of outside and friendly
financial support. For instance, IL u one
Of the main characteristics Of Fanam-
poan' that u supplies the place " the
pnyment OF officials throughout tho T.
land. In fact. In all Madagascar no Sec
rotary, clerk, artisan. soldier or civilian
serving tine government In whatever ca
/ pacity with The exception ol n trifling
/ percentage received by some Of the gov
srnors OF districts) Is paid or even fed by
the state. "The queen honors them by
employing thomT go the official enphom'
/ ism runs aud they must feed and clotho
themselves. Bat when loyalty takes tho
shape. ~ Is constantly the ease, Of carry
| ing vast weights Of wood, iron or stone
ON raw and bleeding shoulders, along
goat tracks (ior roads there aro nonel
through swamps and forests, mp aud
down hills . 900 feet high, then the addi'
tional stimulus Of shackles aud leg irons
| g. needed 20 persuade the poor captured
peasant thar on the whole he had better
accept the "honor," half starved though
he must be.
POWER OF the QUEEN.
II he runs away he brings punishment
on his family. and becomes n fugitive
and bushEapgor; tho numerous robbcr
bands nro mainly recruited from such
runAway1. Hundred, OF instances could
be- cited, especially within the past
twelve months, to show that this tyran-
ny Is becoming more and more unsup-
portable.
In the first place all tho land in NADIA
gascar. with comparatively few excep-
tons, belongs nominally To the qGeou,
but actually 20 the government. At the
present moment and for may yoars past
tho gcysfnmcut Is aud la, been CONF
pletely conferred in and dcspol!rally ruled
hy the prime minister, Hainilainrivorny
who besides his Original wife has mar
ricd two successive queens Of Ma1agus.
car. Fortunately for himself and hi
family his rule has. on the whole, been
wise as well "a vigorous. In the saka-
lava expedition. out of tens Of thousands
Of peasants who were summoned. as
nomblod, and even partially drilled
throughout the country, only about 9 COZ
could be actually laid hold Of, aud tew
months Of fever and numerous deser.
tions quickly reduced this number.
Similarly In the alluyial gold fields,
which are being worked by forced labor
upon the enormous nominal royalty Of
90 per cent TO tho government (i5 PEI
cent. IL divided among the foreign
shareholders, directors and supcrintend'
ents), immense exertio7s have 10 be con
stantly made TO keep up the supply ol
forced labor.
TALENT UNDER \ nUsnIt-
Thus It comes about that this mosl
important branch OF the national wealth
u not .deyelopcd. Here, Ms elsewhere
seridom spells poverty.
Again, IN the case Of craftsmen and
artilcors, Madagascar possesses and
could produce plenty OF men who's
talent would compare favorably witt
that of almost sny people In the world
But tho moment they show proficiency
IN their art they aro "Fanampoanod,'
that Is, they are honored by being en-
ployed by the government or by SOM
powerful official, without wage an,
without food. a clever craftsman, from
whom you buy n work Of art, in what
ever metal, begs you not To say From
whom you purchased IL, solely for Tea
OF the "honor' which would be- in stor
for him. so n You want good tinsmith
carpenter or ieweler you must not searcl
for him among tho tradesmen OF his owl
craft; but the clever jeweler is foun
among the waAhermen, and 30 on, IN a.
amusing "bo-peep' OF industry. tn
queen honors "Raini.be" or "Bootoo'b
taking him away from his rice fields jus
ut the season when his labor and supei
vision are most required for his crop. 5
the unfortunate freeman" who Is ne
allowed 10 send his slave as his subst
tute-mark the grandeur of the distin'
ton conferred upon him--is romorscles
ly blod, even To his penultimate dolla
II lie desires to procure exemption ifol
the honor --Fortnightly Review.
A Problem In Mathematics
A vessel divided into "forty-two thi
. ty.secnnds" was discovered at the Gu
tom house when the official papers
the schooner IL. q. Mousley We're ben