The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-25
DIR. BLYDEN ON AFRICA.
THE CONTINENT NOT READY FOR
THE AMERICAN NEGRO.
The Republic of Liberia Doing rs Well as
Should BE ESpected-The Negro
Problem I'm Africa.

den expressed his views on AFRICAN
questions as follows.
Il am very glad that I have the honor
10 be interviewed by a descendant OF
Africa on the subject OF the fathcrland.
| knew one eminent colored man or TINS
country, alas, now no more, VINO nad'
Africa a special study, ana IN convers ns
with whom | have often been surprised
at the fulness and accuracy OF ms know
ledge OF past and current events on that
continent | n can the late Bishop Ddhisl
\. Payne of the African ". - Church.
Since his death | have not heard or any
other American negro Hho has so con-
cerned himself with g subject IN wnich
the greatest minds ,. Europe are now
deeply Interested.
THE indifference Of tho negroes OF this
country Is not surprising. Tho Ihited
States are so far from Africa ana their
commercial and political relations are
SO largely confined 10 the western hcmiS-
pherc that it is difficult to find a white
American who knows any more OF Africa
than what may be cleaned frcm short
paragraphs in the daily papers
There are ! find. very confused no
tons as 10 what has been called the
scramble for Arta. but. SO far as that
Is concerned the Information even iu
Europe, except among map makers o.
other specialists is FAR from clCar or
definite. While !, is true that nearly
the whole OF Africa has been practically
parccileG out among the states or Europe.
yet the parceliing has been done in so
precipitatc and uuseemly a manner that
the map OK the continent is still involved
In q sort OF chaos An English periodical
has recently, win picturesque cNactitude
efcribei the maxim OF the scramulcrs 10
nave been as follows. Shut your eyes
and grab what yoa can. and afterwari
and out whether Won have scored a hor-
nets nest, dlsilond mine or fever
hospital
But this scramble viii not harm the
A 49, atINN
have tho same encct In the distant fu-
ture for tho pre5s alton and civiliza-
ton OF IA" race as was produced by the
scramble Tor the African during 800
years. Ncu's passions and amb.tions.
their loves and their hatreds are often.
perhaps generally used hy a higher power
10 subserNe the highest purposes of pro-
gre-s and developments
'yIhe Europeans ind themselves so
helpless iu Africa. owing 60 climatic hind
RANGES. that they look 10 the natives for
the most eihclen, help IA The work they
propose 20 90. Just before left the
coast. no uonus ago, more than
forty Europeans mad died IN single
district ON the Gold Coast n :hrce weeks.
Since l left ! see by the London Times
that an epidemic in the French settle
mcnt OF Porto NOvo was causing many
deaths.
by the time tho negro I'm this country
wakes up To the necessity OF bctaklng
ropean skill. energy, sacrifice will have
SO improved IL that all me will have 10
do will be 10 walk In and take. possess
sion OF country ready 10 his hand.
made so by those who for generations
wasted aud destroyed IL.
Africa is not yet ready for the eXlled
negro, and he is not Yet ready for II.
Some VIII go from time to time. 20 and
live there and do their part in uTbuidirR
or 20 and return with tales Of woe on
their lips and malarial poison In their
blood. Meanwhile, the Europeans
French English. Germans. and even
russians are training the natives 70 un-
derstand the value OF their country and
10 improve n. The French send the sons
Of the chiefs Of territories which come
within their sphere of influence TO Europe
or North Africa, 10 be trained and TO re-
turn and take the government Of the
country The English are establishing
schools on the spot. and sending indlvi-
duals TO England 10 return and share
In the administration. This policy to-
ward the abOrigines has been pursued
in no other country taken by Europeans
not in America, Australia, New ~. land.
or india The regime IN Africa Is new
and Unprecedented No idea can be
entertained OF DISCRIMINATING the African
IN intertrOpical Africa or of reducing
him TO political insignihcance. for the
European is now thoroughly satisfied
that Africa must be for the African or
for nobody.
In the British colonies the natives are
being placed IN positions of trust and re-
sponsibllity. one was enrolled two years
ago by the Queen I'm recognition of his
legal ability and public service among
the companions of the most distinguished
order or 81. Michael and 81. George The
Queens Advocate of Sierra Leone Is
native, so is the Judge Of the Gambia
and the SolicitOr-General Of the Gold
Coast Colony. Sierra Leone has recently
been erected into a municipality, and
the nrst Mayor IS a native. There are
native Bishops, ArchdcacOns, and one
Canon In the Church Of England i'm West
AIR ca. Natives are represented in all
the prOfe ssions
"All the newspapers on the coast are
Owned aud edited by natives, the proprie-
tor and editor Of the Lagos Weekly Re
cord being native Liberian OF American
colOnist parentage
Although Europeans en- the coast in
slst upon the preservation of racial dis
tmctN eLess their social relations with
the natives are on the most satisfactory
footing. At Government receptions and
dinner parties native ladies' and gentle
men OF education and culture often have
places or honor. When Bishop H. NJ
Iurner, with Dr. W. II. Heard, the new
United states Minister TO Liberia visited
Sierra Leone few months ago the Cow
ernor-in-Chlef. Col. Garden. and Mrs
Garden entertained them at dinner with
other natives and Europeans The BISHOP
as the guest OF the occasion took Mrs
Garden TO the table Tho same fndis
criminate hospitality is witnessed in Eng
land ana other parts Of Europe. | have
seen negroes at the table Of the Lord
Mayor OF London | have met them at
dinner tables at oxford Cambridge and
Harrow. The same generosity is extend
ed toward them IN Belgium, France Hol-
land, Denmark. Russia, ibc. In coming
TO Africa. then, Europeans have no rea-
son Tor changing their behavior 10 the
black people on account Of color or race
But l do not think that their kin be-
yond tho sea In this country are any less
enlightened because they practice race
discrimination in society. The circum-
stances in this country are different
whore a large number or aliens iust from
chattel bondage threaten race contamln-
alton. l do not believe that among en-
ngniened Americans either North or
sOuth any previous condition Of seryitudo
or color has much weight All races who
have risen have passed through a bap-
tisn OF slavery, and men Of all colOrs
have from time TO time been dominant.
When the Puritans first arrived I'm Ameri-
ca, before they had fought the Indians.
they enacted rigid laws against social
intercourse or intermarriage II the
same conditions prevailed IN EurOpe as
in the United Estates [ mean II there
were the same number OF negroes IN any
section as exists in the South. with a
tendency 10 multiply. there would be the
same social barriers between the races
for race preservation as in the United
States. 1t seems TO mo that with Inn
proved education both on the part OF
whites and blacks IN the South and with
more correct views as to the sanctity or
race as a divine trust, there would be no
offensive laws fOrbidding intermarriage.
and the relations OF the races would be
less strained. The negro problem would
disappear.