The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-30
SOME AFRICAN MONEY.
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 10 certain anomalous fls-
cal troubles that have lately befallen the
people Of ono of the negro states Of west
ern Africa, and which have not yet
passed into history to an extent that
they merit.
As is we'll known, the governments
Of the leading states of Europe, with
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 AID
government in and over whct is regard
ed as unciviized Africa. Thus the Brit
ish government is rapidly occupying
vast tract of territory geographically
known as Nigrita, from the circu1a-
stance that it is traversed by, or is con-
tiguous TO- the ancient and once myste-
riors 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 O commercial country
and 70 whom the advent of the English
was probably net rrwelcome. The cur
rorcy Of this kingdom and its populc-
ticn was mainly slaves with, infercn-
TALLY, slave lal!cs and children serving
as subsidiary money media.
1t might also perhaps be inferred
that white Eabics would be considered
a counterfeit circulating medium md
octoroons bir stallic. The carrying round
of two or thrCc taliCs 10 make Chanoc
would certainly be rather difficult, and
when they cried it might he regarded IS
on account Of imitation Dut anyway a
serious fircrCial difficulty is reported
TO be ilcT,LC.rg in NCp6; for as tie
British Government docs not sanction
or tolerate slavery tho interesting qucs-
tion has naturally arisen, What are the
people Of Nurd Gcirg TO do for MONEY,
or rather fer currency? Will n party
ariao, as in the United States. who viii
maufully contend for the maintenance
of the dollar Of their iGthcrs" Will
not some "Nuptan' Bryan set forth \
fitting largaagc the wickcdncss of the
decentralization of former Nuptan cur
roncy?
What better use can Senator Tel
Ter make of his GisqCisition on the
benefits that accrued 10 the ancicat
Spartans, when thcy substituted iron
money in place Of their former cattle,
COW and piE currcEeT, than TO scrd q
large number Of copies of il for general
distribution or tAc hanks of tho Nigcri
How the heart Of ex-senator PETER of
Kansas must rc5oico az the historical
virdication of lis automatic financial
principle that cit matters not OF what
money is made or what its intrinsic
value isl'
Would IL not be the part Of wis
dom for President Mckinley 10 in.
struct his monetary missionaries, after
thcy have get through with thCir search
in Europe for information about cur.
rercy around the tables Of roWlty, t.
journey forthwith q wcct Africa, visit
Nup6 and learn from tho Nuptans their
opinions as 20 the cfTCC, q cheap money,
contingent on rUCCossivl slave h-nt
and also whether their fc-uCr money
had not much to commend IL by reason
Of its remarkable properties for DEC
circulation? IL certainly could not hay,
staid long in enc place without watch
ing. David a. Wells in Harper
Weekly.
IL the iissuns nLnnf fnn rnnIs OF tho hniI