Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-05


troy the natives
There is not a canteen In Basutoland
today As educators the missionaries
have also done good work, and alto
gether the Basutos have become won
derfully civilized within the last fifteen
years This does not mean that all the
old ycstiges Of barbarism have wholly
disappeared The Basutos are glad 10
import blankets, ploughs, saddles and
brides clothing and iron and tinWare
from England. but they often give In
return for them native goods Instead
Of money and many Of them pay their
taxes in the same way There Is not
telegraph or a railroad In the country,
and letters are only delivered once a
week. The nearest telegraph station Is
al Ladybrand. IN the Orange Free
State, and the transmission OF letters
TO and from Europe takes from twenty
six days TO a month
When the war IN the Trausvaal broke
out the rumor spread that the Basutos
had determined 10 rise against the
Orange Free state, and those Euro
peans who knew the dauntless charac-
ter and the excellent military efficiency
OF the Africans were not little startled
at the news. For these Basuios are not
like ordinary Africans, on the contrary,
they are the most intelligent, the most
powerful and the best equipped tribe in
the entire country.
They have modern arms and ammuni-
ton, including smokeless powder and
they know how % use them They can
put an army of several thousand mon
into the field at short notice, and when
lu the field they will fight with "a skill
and a courage that have more than
once won for them the admiration OF
Europeans. To was a knowledge OF
these facts that caused a general sur
prise in England when over the cable
flashed the rumOr that the Basut0s in
tended TO attack the Orange Free state,
and this surprise had hardly abated
when IL was again aroused by the more
positive information that the tokens OF
unrest In Basutoland were becoming
more marked than ever.
Now the BasutOs. Ike the Grlquas,
were never treated In nciehb0rly fash
ion by the Beers Of the Orange Free
State and Mr. Thompson, a member
Of the Cape assembly. and well ac-
Quainted with the native question,
thinks hat for this reason the large
majority OF the Basutos would range
themselves on the British side f they
should decide 90 join either of the par
Elephants iu the present conflict.
Throughout Great Britain, however. be
points out. there is a very strong feel
ing that Co invoke such aid would be
q grave crime against the whites of
South Africa. Many others have eN-
pressed a similar opinion within the last
six months, and persons VINO claim 20
speak with authority maintain that The
Beers are just as loath as the British
10 accept any aid from the blacks.
Both Beers and British are just at
present most anxious TO keep the Ba-
sut0s and other native tribes quiet, and
for the reason that owing TO the over
whelmng preponderancc of the black
population In Africa q perfect pande-
m0nium would be likely 20 reign IN case
OF native uprisings. Up 10 the present
there has been little fear Of any seri-
GUS revolt on the part Of the natives,
the prevailing opinion being that the
katirs generally, and especially the in
div.dual races OF BasutOs. Zulus, Girl
Quas and Matabeles. have felt the
power OF the Great White Queen too
keenly and too recently TO allow them
TO combine successfully.
That some OF the native tribes, and
especially the BasutOs. win become
restless and might even become FESTIVE
at sight Of the deadly struggle In the
Transyaal was foreseen even before
the war began. but Englishmen con-
sOled themselves with the thought that
10 any of the blacks did decide 20 obtain
revenge for old wounds they would be
far more likely 20 vent their hostility on
the Beers than on the British They
pointed out that the blacks have some
respect for British soldiers and have,
as q rule, accepted without any appar-
ent reluctance the administration inn
posed on them by the British govern
ment Bechuanaland they say, is "a
good instance Of this, for King Khama
has proved himself a stanch ally OF the
British on the other hand they point
out that the natives have found the
Boer farmers hard taskmasters, that a
severe campaign has been carried on
during recent years against the native
chiefs In the northern part OF the
Transvaal, and that the Swazls on the
southeast have never been wholly at
rest since their land was annexed 20
the South African republic, in 1895.
over and over again the statement
has been made that the natives are not
10 be allowed to take any part In the
Transvaal war, not only because 10 is
peculiarly a white mans war. but also
because the dictates OF civilization de-
mand that whites, when fighting
against men OF their own color, shall
not invoke or accept the aid of savages
A laudable sentiment. but the question
sim remains What win the white
men do II their dusky neighbors In
Basutoland shall take no arms? This
question Is puzzling many thoughtful
minds IN England and the Transvaal
today. since they know well that on
the manner IN which Il IL answered may
depend IN a large measure the future
civilization Of South Africa.