The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-30
AFRICA AND THE POWERS.
Stanley Describes the FORTHCOMING OF
the Dark Continent.
February Century.

FEBRUARY century.
Until the Berlin conference no European
nation appeared to take any special inter-
est in the fate of the Dark Continent; but
the three-months' sitting under the aus
for Europe The daily kilograms and edi-
torial comments on the sayings and doings
or many celebrities regarding river basins
and delimitattons, and the products ana
possibilities of Africa, were just what was
wanted TO instruct and start into energy
the sumbering ambitions OF nations %
De Brazza, and the writer had done. others
could do; and the scramble for Africa
was the consequence. with all its Jeal-
ousies, spites. newspaper banter. and mem
ace. Thoughts OF the period from 1855 10
1890 remind me of the way my black fol-
lowers used to rush with cleaning knives
for slaughtered game during our travels.
Foremost among the countries whose lust
for territory was awakened by the Berlin
Italy. do not blame them at all: on the
contrary, I think IL admirable, necessary,
and inevitable. The starving white man
must be satisfied, or he Will become ugly.
Before these nations was revealed huge
continent with many millions OF square
miles undeveloped In possession Were
minute fragments OF tribes, each OF which
was isolated its ten-square-mile plot.
nph0 Singular with rHs
Ugogo for the. wagogo,. Uganda for the
waganda, Uguhha for the waguhha. I'M
out All the tbos,sands of ten-sauare-miIe
sections of equatorial Africa And a fine
mess these tribal fragments had made or
themselves and their lands after some nifty
centuries or whereabouts of occupation.
Murder in every conceivable shape rioted
throughout their territories Naked and
bestial they had lived from prehistoric
time. 1t was death to any unarmed
stranger TO come among them. and death
to any, member Of their communities who
showed the least sign of capacity or
genius From the Hottentot TO the Shilluk,
the Nasal TO the Bakongo. they were all
influences a they iU 10 Would Continue to deterior
ate morally and physically until they would
become as degraded as the pygmies and the
bushmen.
Therefore 1t was not harm. but the high
est good, that was coming 70 the savage
African by the advent of civilzing white
from the black haired, yellow-faced Arab.
who was incapable Of pity. He would be
saved from himself. than whom there was
nothing more deadly. He was to be taught
how to be human, and how in time he
would become the equal or the white TANK
about the emancipation OF the American
negroes and the Russian serfs. They were
mere commonplace compared to the eman-
cipation of Africa from herself that dates
from 1885.
England was the last European power to
engage in the rush for African territory.
Her efforts for some years after the Ber-
lin conference had been confined to reserv-
ing spheres of influence, rather than TO vio-
lent annexation. and to undertaking the pas
sion for African land manifested by Ger
many. France and Italy.
If any power had the moral right to in
terfere with this fierce lust for annexa-
ton it must be admitted that, after polio
ing the African coasts for over a half CEN
fury, exploring the interior. and establish
ing Christian missions in east Africa.
Nyassa Land and Uganda. England was
fairly entitled to It, Between 1886 and 1890
Englishmen began TO stir, and succeeded
in forming the famous South African Com
pany, the African Lakes Company and the
I. b. E. A Company. The Royal Niger
Company had obtained a charter in 1885.
one was granted to the South African. with
administrative power over 10000 square
miles In 1891 II absorbed the African
Africa. with 10000 square miles, was
formed To the British East African Com
pany was given authority over 10000 square
miles.