New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-22
GERMAN COLONIAL ENTERPRISE

The unexpected revolution in The German
Colonial Department seems now 10 be near al
hard Baron Won Wissman has resigned the
Governorship OF German East Africa. The rca.
son given IS ill-hcalth, which may be true. The
Zanzibar coast is not sanatorium. Yet he cx-
poets to continue active public service AT Berlin.
Still more significant j. the resignation OF DR..
Kayser, Chief OF the Colonial Department NJ
Berlin, for reasons not expressed, but not, II Is
emphatlcally explained, because OF the attacks
Of the Peters party. That IS well. Peters was
much enraged at not getting the appointment
which was given 10 Baron Won Wlssnan, ana
he and his frends-fOr even he has frends-have
ever since been attacking DR.. Kayser with all
possible vlrulencc. Ii is pleasant. therefore. 10
be assured that the Colonial Chief has been
strong enough to remain unmOved by their ma
Lightly. The real cause OF his retirement Is
doubtless to be found in his own frank confes-
sion that his enthusiasm for colonial enterprise
has wancd, and that it seems 10 him doubtful
whether the colonial policy will ever bring adj
vantage blessing 10 Germany. 1t Is probable
that many other German statesmen who for
merly were hot for colonial expansion would
make the same confession If they had The same
courage and frankness.
For the record Of German colonization is thus
far chiefly a record Of failure. In the last dozen
or more years Germany has become possessed
Of vast regions In various parts Of Africa, ag
gregating some $4,000 square miles, with nearly
1000 600 native inhabitants. Upon them she
has expended large sums Of money. TO them
she has sent shrewd pr0spectors and admins
traitors In them she has made every official
effort 10 develop populous and prosperous Ger
man colonies, such Great Britain has planted
In adjacent territories In every case. with pos
slby one exception, she has thus far been disap-
pointed Not One OF the colonies, save Togo
land, is source OF profit, or Is even self-support
Ing. On the contrary, they are heavy charge
upon the imperial cxchequer. Millions OF dol
lars have been lavshed upon them without
turn. 1t Is rumored that the subsidies are now
to be increased by S125OOOO year, bur there
Is small room to hope that increased expenditure
will mean anything more than an Increased drain
upon the treasury. 1t would be a great saving
to Germany for the Government to give up the
colonies, bring home the few hundred settlers,
and give each OF them pension OF 81 900 year
as compensation for disturbance
The fact Is. the present German race. with all
It's admirable qualities, does not seem suited TO
colonial enterprise. Germans either do not want
to leave home. or want 10 go to another we'll
settled and civilized country. When they do the
latter. they make good citizens. as Americas
experience with millions OF them demonstrates
But they have no stomach for subdulng the will
derness and for dealing with barbaric hordes
At home. in factories. and on the sea. in mcr-
chant ships. they are formidable rivals of the
British. But they leave TO the latter the crea
ton Of new empires. In the German provinces
Of Africa there are to-day probably more Brit
sh settlers than Germans. The same is true in
great measure Of other European peoples. Spain
was once a great coonlzer. but she has lost prac
tically all she ever planted. and is incapable Of
planting more. Portugal utterly failed TO i'm
prove her unrivalled opportunities in Africa
France is successful in Algeria, because of it,
proximity to the Fatherland. hut elsewhere she
has made slight progress. II Is the Anglo
Saxon race, and It alone. that has planted great