The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-06-21
is A new NATION
So Says du Bots, Phi: D.,
of the Negro Race.
History Of the CoIorea People OF
America in Its Relations 10 tho
Modern WORLDS Record.


Phi. D., OF Atlanta University:
In Introducing his subject 10 his aU-
dience, DR.. Du Bots said that his aim
was not 50 much TO add To their his
toriCal knowledge as to- place the his
tory Of the American Negro In its
proper relations to the history Of the
modern world. and to- show how II Is
that today a new nation stands on the
threshold OF the twentieth century.
His object wos threefold: first. he de-
sired to explain how the African race
came 10 leave its fatherland: second.
to- follow the transplanted Negro to-
the West Indies. and there study the
effect upon him OF the low colonial
civilization of Europe: and third, to
investigate his condition in the period
OF "serfdom' which has succeeded
emancipation, and 20 inquire in re-
gard to his ultimate destiny.
In tracing the causes which led to
the beginning Of the African slave
Il ade, the lecturer painted a vivid pie
ture OF the Renaissance in Europe
the transformation OF the sloth and
ignorance OF the dark ages into the
vigor and intense activity OF the If
teenth and sixteenth centuries. This
awakening did not. however. affect the
lower classes of the people. but. lcav-
ing them in the darkness OF virtual
slavery, gave rise TO an age of mighty
leaders-"an age championed not by
the masses. but by kings and heroes. =
1t was but natural. therefore. that
Prince Henry, the Navigator. moved
by the new spirit OF adventure. should
wish TO explore the mysterious CONT
nent of Africa; and penetrating into
| this massive walled fortress" which
had for centuries, through it's natural
barriers, closed its doors 10 the civil
iZation of the world. should open the
way 10 the Inauguration OF the slave
trade. that terrible curse OF modern
life-"the heart disease Of Africa
Although slavery existed among the
primitive Negro tribes, Il was OF a
mild and easy type. and the captive
could rise 20 full citizenship i'm tho
tribe OF MS adoption. Far different
from this was that slavery under for
eign masters. which had its small be
ginning in 1912, when ten Negro slaves
and some gold dust We're given TO the
| Portuguese as a ransom for captured
Moors. One result of the traffic thus
begun by the Arabs was the utter ex-
termination of numerous prosperous
and half-civiliZed tribes IN he interior
of Africa; for the new-fouaa power OF
gold as 4 medium OF exchange. excit-
ing the cupidity of men. caused n con-
tinuous demand for cheap laborers to
work the sold mines in the Eldorado
beyond the seas, and firmly establish
ed the slave trade as a part OF the
worlds commerce. The annual levy OF
Negroes for the mines in Hayti. Cuba
Jamaica and Porto Rico soon reached
1000, and rapidly increased during n,
sixteenth century. when the Dutch and
! English ruled the seas. until, in the
last two decades OF The seventeenth
century. 100000 slaves We're shipped
to America: and between 100 and
1856, 100000 were sent TO the one Isl.
and OF Jamaica, and 1000. 900 more tC
America. In 1891 they were being
poured into the reN continent at the
rate of $4,000 a year. On the coast %
Africa stood forty slave pens for the
human cattle. across the blue water o.
the Atlantic two hundred and iift!
ships hurried every year into th'
West; for :oIr hundred years shark:
followed the hurrying ships; for foul
hundred years the coasts OF America
were s;rewn with the living and dy
ing: for four hundred years EthiopI:
held out her hands 20 Cod"
The demand for slaves in the trop
icaI islands came first from Spanish
adventures who. seeing in COLOMBIA
ton only a means for the spread %
the Catholic faith. and for gratifyin:
their lust Tor gold, thought themselve.
justified IN bringing about these end.
by the utmost 6arbarity and fanati
cism. The French who settled in His
PAMELA were little better. establishing
a rule Of debauchery and oppression.
Even the Dutch and English. looking
| upon the colony as n temporary finan-
cial investment, We're at first animated
I by the idea that slavery was justifiabl'
because II was typical Of the wrath oi
God against the unregenerated pa
gan" When the supply of gold gave
slaves began 20 decline. II became evil
dent THAI nothing but the permanent
| establishment OF the institution oi