Evening star., 1898-11-18
CIVILlZlN NG AT RlCA
A New Scheme for Abolishing Slavery in
the Dark Continent.
EstabIishing SeIf-Supporting Villages
With Industrious Native
Inhabitants.

He'll Chatelain in the American Magazine
On July 10 last 1 started for the interior
Of Africa, where, on the high table-lands,
500 miles from the coast, l am building
model villages.
Here, in the heart Of the dark continent,
l am introducing to the natives the first
stages of civilized life, and by systematic
effort starting the civilizing of this part of
the country. The villages are being built
on what is now wild wastes of land
No expedition, however large, will ever
be able to stamp out slavery in Africa by
force, for the very reasonable fact that it
| is extremely unlikely that any expedition
will ever be sent here of large enough pro-
| portion to successfully cope with the 250,-
100000 natives who believe in this ancient
and baneful custom.
The plan l am working upon for the civil
izing of this great continent, or at least a
part of it, is different from anything be-
fore tried. In substance, it is the acquire
ment of fertile lands by cession from Euro
pean governments and by purchase from
native chiefs. Upon these lands are
building model villages and towns, COM
posed of free native settlers and liberated
slaves. Quality rather than quantity is
aimed at
Establishing Villages.
Such villages when completed will at once
Iduldte SOou influence, ana Will De OBJECT
| lessons to all the dark regions around. AS
] soon as the natives for themselves how
| much easier and more profitable life is
under civilized methods of living than
under their savage customs they quickly
| move to the villages and become a part of
| them In joining the village they have to
| renounce slave hunting, polygamy, witch
| craft and rum. This, think. from my ex-
perience with them, many thousands of
| them Will very readily do, when they see
| for themselves how well the villages get
along without any of these evil influences
| to which they have been accustomed.
The natives, although barbarous are
| quick to learn and are great imitators
| When once shown how to do a certain
thing, they remember it, and make good
! workmen. They are strong and ablebodied
and capable of accomplishing great results
| when started on the right track The first
| of these villages is being established be-
| tween BengUella and Lake Nyassa in the
| southwestern part of the continent. High
| tablelands exist in this region, and here,
1000 feet above the sea level. the town is
| being laid out. The climate is healthfuI
and the soil is particularly good.
seIf-Supporting.
AS quickly as possible each village will
be made self-supporting. The natives are
| being taught house building, farming and
various industries and trades All the
members of my expedition fare much the
same as the Misunderstanding the same food
and living in houses built of native mate
rials. But soon shall teach the natives
improved methods of agriculture and the
cultivation of all the new products neces-
sary for the maintenance and DEVELOPMENT
of the village.
The native settlers will also soon be
taught carpentering, blacksrnithfng and
other lines of work and industry, and
gradually there will spring UP a self-made
end self-supporting town, constructed on
modern lines. When once thoroughly estab-
lished it will probably grow rapidly, as
every native that joins will be an incentive
to others to follow suit; and having once
demonstrated that by joining US they can
improve their condition, we shall have no
difficulty in getting recruits AS soon as
this first village is thoroughly established
we will start second one en- the same
| lines, some distance further inland In
like manner, third and a fourth will be
added and until all this section of
the country is dotted with them
The natives are not being pressed to Join
any of these villages. Work is being
pushed with the express purpose of Great
ing an object lesson for them and of their
own free will they make application to
come in and be granted their assignment
! of land on which to build their house and
| help develop the resources of the country.
Each village will be conducted on civilized
! and modern principles, and everybody will
work for the advancement of tine district
In this way Africa will be civilized by
peaceful methods, which l believe is the
| only way it will ever bs done. Under our
plan the natives are really civilZng them
selves.