Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-07-01

colonies, and they arc very anxious to
make them self-supporting and develop
them into markets for home manufac-
lures.
There is a question which is attract
ing more and more attention, and that
is the scarcity of white women in these
colonies. In the French colonies, for
instance, even where the conditions are
most favorable for colonization, as in
Algeria, there are from four to six
French men for every French woman.
For the most part, there is no family
life, and dissipation is more general
than would be the case if there were
more homes and more of the social life
that is possible only when the sexes are
in nearly equal numbers. NJ. Challey-
Bert, who recently wrote in the Paris
Debates about the paucity of white
women in the French colonies, said that
the young men there were like the roar
ing lion, who "goeth about seeking
whom he may devour."
1t is not easy to solve the problem in
the French colonies, for the young wom-
en- of France are not at all eager to
expatriate themselves, even to find good
husbands and comfortable homes.
There are hundreds of colonists who
would like to get married. A colonist
in Algeria has recently been telling his
experience. He says that for three
years he sought, in his own social circle
in France, for Il young woman who
would share his fortunes in the colony.
At the end Of that time his perseverance
was rewarded and he is now married.
The fact is, however, that he did not
find wife among the young women
associate. They liked the colonist, but
the colony terrified them. His wife is
worthy woman, the daughter of
farm laborer, and she is making him
good helpmect in his colonial home.
British and Dutch colonists do not
find it so difficult to induce the fair sex
Of the old homes 10 share their lot in
newer parts of the world, and when
they have found it really difficult to get
wives from the mother country, many
of the Dutch in the East Indies have not
disdained to be joined in lawful wedlock
with the daughters of the natives.
Many white men are now living in
tropical regions, like equatorial Africa,
where they have really no right to ask
white woman TO share their dangers
and hardships. Few women from the
north temperate zones are able to sur
yivc one or two Collaborating expert
cnces in tropical Africa. Some white
men who live there have expressed the
opinion that tits little short of crime to
bring a white woman of their own race
to those regions. The late DR.. Wolf, the
German explorer, said that any white
man there who wanted wife should
marry one of the natives of the country.
Some Of the Europeans in Africa have
followed his advice, and among them
DR.. Grcnfell the explorer and mission
airy, who married negro girl who had
been educated at q mission station on
the west coast.
Two months ago the Canadian news
papers contained an advertisement
from mining camp in British Column
bia in which it was announced that the
camp was wholly destitute of women,
that neither gambling nor the sale Of
Intoxicating liquors was permitted in
the settlement, that the miners were in
dustrious, had saved money, and now
they wanted wives and homes; and
young women of the Dominion were in
vited to enter into correspondence with
Il committee as preliminary to possible
immigration to the camp and marriage
with the bachelors thereof.
Even to-day, in large parts Of Canada,
Australia and Cape Colony, there are
not women enough to supply the de-
mand for wives. But when the societies
that promote the emigration of women
70 the colonies send out party the last
thing in their minds apparently is the
better chance these women will have to
ret husbands. They simply send wom-
en- who lack work to colonies that lack
women. Their character and fitness for
emigration must be approved, and then
they are sent out on the long journey in
charge of matrons, who see to their
comfort and are responsible for their
safety until situations that will yield
them q living are found for them. The
United British Women's Emigrant as
ISOLATION, the largest Of all these So
cieties, would refuse to assist any wom-
IN to emigrate if she should openly
nvow that she was seeking husband
rather than opportunities for work.