The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-03
LUCK OR BRAINS.

EDgldDu Is Oh li1t ntGh VI tue NO14u
liz more emphatic sense than was
Rome in the height of her power. To
Rome the Americas and the south half
Of the African continent were I'M
known. These constitute the major
portion of the world today.
When at the colSe of the Revolution
airy war England lost her American col
onies, and with them apparently her
most valuable possession, she found
compensation in the East Warren
Hastings, by the exercise of great pow
ers, tinged with unscrupulousnesS, had
consolidated her power In India. That
power has grown, and has become one
Of the chief props of her empire.
So. too, at the close of the wars grow
ing out Of the French revolution, i'm
mense as has been the cost in treasure
and blood. she again found compensa-
ton by planting herself as firmly on the
African continent as she had previously
done on the Asiatic. At that time Cape
Colony and the Dutch possessions were
made over 10 her; She paying to Hol-
And now, in less than Gentry South
Africa, in actually and in promise, has
become rich and powerful part of her
dominion. 1t is rich in minerals, and
it's agricultural resources are enormous.
RhOdesia alone is of immense extent,
larger than France and Germany COM
bined. But look at Natal! The reader
interested in religious controversies viii
remember that Natal was the dioceS of
Bishop Colenso. 1t was there that he
wrote his work on the Pentateuch and
the Book of joshua work that eX-
posed him to a storm of criticism and
censuTe.
1t is Natal, however, in a material
sense that just now exciteS interest,
and not Natal as a source of religious
controversial literature. This province
has an abundant supply of coal and
iron; but all the world knows that it is
her neighbor to the north, the Trans
vaal, which is so rich in gold. In fact,
the TranSvaal is mot only the largest
gold roducing center the world has
yet seen, but the most permanent, the
most industrial. in essentials the least
speculative" But gold mining, though
having all these characteristics, in time
comes to an end; while agriculture, like
the earth itself, adde's forever. 1t not
only abides, but is a source of infinitely
greater wealth. Give and thirty
years after California touched her
zenith as a gold producer" says care
full writer, "She was estimated on high
authority to be one hundred times dis
rich in fruit, wheat, wine, and wool as
ever She had been in gold" And what
California has Natal has also. In fruits
she grows pineapples, bananas, oranges
grapes and peaches. Along the coast
and for a hundred miles inland. she
produces coffee, sugar and cotton. The
higher plateaus constitute an agricul-
tural region Of great extent and i'm
mense value. 1t is admirably adapted
TO sheep raising, stock herding and
general farming. The climate is delight
full, healthful and invigorating. The
population is 80 per cent English, and
is increasing. Farm lands are grow
ing in value. the railroad facilities are
good, and the future for Natal seems
exceedingly bright.
That the overfiowing population Of
England will more and more seek the
shores of South Africa to find homes
is obvious. That region in another
half century is likely 10 become one Of
the richest and strongest dependencies
of Great Britain. 1t bids fair to be-
come an empire of itself. And it
cannot fail to have a far-reaching in
fuence upon the interior regions of
Africa. Railroads and telegraph lines
will penetrate the wilds; and Africa,
hitherto the home for the most part of
barbarism. will be apt 10 lay an i'm
portant part in the progress of vicili-
zation-