The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-08
THE CIvILIzING OF AFRICA,

II IL proDdole tnaI the greatest tranSfor-
nation of the twentieth century and the
greatest relative progress of any century
will be In Africa. 1t is easily within the
memory of elderly people when such a
thing as the civilizing of Africa was not
dreamed Of The ancients really knew
more about the continent than the moderns
did, though neither knew much. and from
the very dawn of civilization it was asso-
ciated with traditions and mysteries. Voy-
ayers had skirted along the edges of the
continent. but its interior was terra in
cognita to the rest of the world and to all
appearances seemed likely to remain so.
More has been done during the last sixty
years to make the rest of the world ac-
quainted with Africa than during the whole
Of seventeen hundred previous years. Even
Mungo Park, whose quaint narrative has
interested so many young readers, did not
make his exploration until about the begin
ming of the present century, and the great
est of all African explorers, DR.. Living
stone, did not go there until 1910. In the
interval other travellers had explored par
ticular parts and added considerably to the
worlds knowledge of the geography of the
continent in an academic way. but no
propriate the country by whites was
made Cape Colony, the oldest Brit
ish possession, dates from 1896. but
its largest annexations of territory occurred
in 1866 and 1868. Natal was created into a
British colony in 1856, and the Orange River
Colony, now Orange Free State, became
British territory in 1913. Most of the other
important colonies of similar modern
date The partition of Africa among Eu-
ropean powers dates from the Berlin con-
gave rise to the phrase spheres of in
fiuence," which figures now so extensively
in the Chinese question. BY this confer
ence and succeeding agreements Great
Britain, Germany. France. Italy and Por-
tugal each recognized the others posses
sions and established boundaries which,
though not exact, have served the purpose
thus far. AS these boundaries are not de-
fined on the north, the whole of Central
Africa, vast interior continent, is still
subject to occupation by whites.
From what has been said il would APP
pear that the work of populating and civ
ilizing Africa by the whites is likely to be
the great task and achievement of the
the native races must go down before the
whites. This is the law of nature and of
evolution. Revolutions do not go back
ward and the march of the race is ever
onward. The discoveries of gold and dia-
mond mines have caused large immigra-
ton to Africa and no doubt great many
British soldiers will remain there after the
present war. There are several thousand
Americans in Africa now, and more will go
as soon as matters settle down. A young
man from this city is superintendent of
gold mine four hundred miles north Of the
northern boundary of the Transvaal
Wherever there are inducements to enter
prise or opportunities for trade or business
there Americans will be found. They will
have hand in the civlizing of Africa, and.
while it is not desirable that the United
States should have any territorial foothold
there or any sphere of influence" there
is no reason why American citizens. in their
Individual capacity, should not assist in the
great work of subduing the dark continent.
In the whole of Africa there now only
I. 937 miles of railroad completed, with 4,920
miles projected. Long before the end of
the twentieth century this mileage will be
multiplied many times over. and the devel-
opment of the country in other respects
will keep pace with the railroad develop
ment History tells us what the Amer
lean continent was at the beginning OF the
nineteenth century, and we know what 1T
is now The change in Africa during the
Fifty years ago all that part Of the United
States extending from Minnesota westward
to the Rocky mountains and southwark to
the Rio Grande in Texas was marked on
American maps and aliases as the Great
American Desert" This designation did
not finally disappear until 1867. 1t is no
desert now. A large space in Central At
RIGA is marked the Desert of Sahara No
doubt there is considerable arid land there,
but hundred years hence the Desert of
Sahara may bloom. even as the Great
American Desert does now. There is a
great boom coming for Africa.
Our exports to Cuba. Puerto Rico. the
Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines and Sa-