The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-11

now partially despised and hardly
clothed African chieftain. 1t may be
( then that In South Africa, under the
protecting wings Of the republican form
Of government, the question of negro
suffrage viii receive a really serious
trial, and, If successful, il cannot fail
TO have its effect on the aims and as
piratiOns Of the cOI0red races, whether
black or brown.
The Swat are a much smaller and
weaker race, have no horses and in
habit a very different type of country
They have lost many Of their people
in the last thirty years from the at
lacks of the irresistible MatabeleS, but
they still have a sufficient number Of
people and enough organization to be
formidable should their temper become
aroused.
OF the Matabeie little need be said.
Some Of the greatest hand-to-hand con
fiicts have occurred between them and
the English, who have seen their coun-
try and attempted to gain a fOothold
there. Their organization must be
greatly broken up, but their warlike
instinct. although it has undoubtedly
received a severe shock from their re-
verses, cannot yet be dead.
The Basutos. lying, as they do, be-
tween the Orange Free State and Ma
tai, II aroused will be a menace to both
the Dutch and British The SwaZis
hardly touch British territory. Their
land lies almost entirely between the
Portuguese territory and the Transvaal
The Matabeles, fnhabiting what is now
called RhOdesia. could disturb the
British moving there, and, crossing the
LimpopO river to the south, would be
more than a menace to the invading
army
The characteristics of all these tribes
are very similar. The little differences
which do occur are caused particularly
by local conditions.
Much has been said lately Of the cru
city with which the Dutch have always
treated their negro slaves. 1 doubt
very much whether they have been
more cruel than the British. Both peO-
pie have done what they could 70 sub
due them. and have then endeavored to
make whatever use Of them as Serv-
ants that they were able to.
one Of the reasons given for this war
now being carried on by the British
against the Dutch is the suppression
Of the so-called slave trade existing in
the Dutch republics. Perhaps few peO-
pie know that the British today in GER
tain portions Of their empire actually
COuntenance the slave trade. am
speaking of the islands of Zanzibar and
Pemba. whose population is being con-
stantly increased by the fOrcible i'm
pOTtatiOn Of natives from the main
land. This is done purely in the in
terest Of the Glove planters, for it is
from those Islands that the best quail
ity Of Glove, comes. No freed man
cares to undertake the work on the
Glove plantations, consequently the
slave trade has not been suppressed by
the British, but is made use Of for the
purpose of increasing their revenues by
growing cloves. These slaves in Fan
zibar and Pemba do not come from the
east coast of Africa. They are brought
from the far interior and are prin-
cipaIly inhabitants of the Congo region.
To return to South Africa From con-
slant contact Eith the white man the
natives have acquired a very distinct
knowledge Of what they want, and
they win be actuated by much the same
purposes as their white neighbOrs
would. If they are aroused they VIII
act as their best interests seem to die
tate We have heard lately Of many
British reverses and Of a series OF BOer
victories. The black man, like most
people. loves the winner If the natives
in South Africa rise at all, which I do
not think is altogether improbable, IN
less Great Britain wins few striking
victories. they will rise on the side Of
the Dutch.
WILLIAM ASTOR CHANLER.