San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-07
SOME AFRICAN MONEY.
1t Consists of Slaves, With Babies and
Children For Small Change.


1t Consists of Slaves, with Babies and
Children For Small Change.
Any recital of recent currency expert
ences would be imperfect that failed to
call attention to certain anomalous fis-
cal troubles that have lately befallen the
people of one of the negro states of west
ern Africa, and which have not yet
passed into history to an extent that
they merit.
AS is well known, the governments
of the leading states of Europe, with
a view of increasing their CONNER
cial advantages through the acquire
ment of new markets, have, within a
comparatively recent period, greatly in
creased their territorial domains and
government in and over what is regard
ed as uncivilized Africa. Thus the Brit
ish government is rapidly occupying
vast tract of territory geographically
known as Nigrita, from the circum-
stance that it is traversed by, or is con-
tiguous to, the ancient and once mystic
rious river Niger; and one of the Nigri-
tian kingdoms that has most recently,
and after considerable fighting, passed
under British rule and European ideas
and enterprise, is that of Nupe, which
through considerable Arab population
is to an extent a commercial country
and to whom the advent of the English
was probably not unwelcome. The cur
rency of this kingdom and its popula-
ton was mainly slaves, with, inferen-
TALLY, slave babies and children serving
as subsidiary money media.
1t might also perhaps be inferred
that white babies would be considered
a counterfeit circulating medium and
octoroons bimetallic. The carrying round
of two or three babies to make change
would certainly be rather difficult, and
when they cried it might be regarded as
On account of imitation. But anyway q
serious financial difficulty is reported
to be impending in Nupe; for as the
British government does not sanction
or tolerate slavery the interesting ques-
ton has naturally arisen, What are the
people of Nupe going to do for money,
or rather for currency? Will a party
arise, as in the United States, who will
manfully contend for the maintenance
Of the dollar of their fathers?" Will
not some "Nupean" Bryan set forth in
fitting language the wickedness of the
demonstration of former Nupean cur.
rency?
What better use can Senator Tel.
Ter make of his disquisition on the
benefits that accrued to the ancient
Spartans, when they substituted iron
money in place of their former cattle,
COW and pig currency, than to send
large number of copies of it for general
distribution on the banks of the Niger!
How the heart of ex-senator PETER Of
Kansas must rejoice at the historical
vindication of his automatic financial
principle that sit matters not of what
money is made or what its intrinsic
value ISL
Would it not be the part of wis.
dom for President Mckinley to in.
struct his monetary missionaries, after
they have got through with their search
in Europe for information about cur.
rency around the tables of royalty, to
journey forthwith to west Africa, visit
Nupe and learn from the Nupeans their
opinions as to the effect of cheap money,
contingent on a successful slave hunt;
and also whether their former money
had not much to commend it by reason
of its remarkable properties for (leg)
circulation? 1t certainly could not have
staid long in one place without watch.
ing. David A. Wells in Harper's
Weekly.