Evening star., 1901-09-21
se21-2ts, 1S
AFRICA's COLOR QUESTION.
The Race Problem ManifestinE Itsel
in the Dark Continent.

AA
In the Dark Continent.
From the London Chronicle.
South Africa has thrown aside the mask
and presented itself in its true colors. 1t
used to be a dear, lazy old country, with
little work and big pay for it; but it has
suddenly come forward as the home OF
many problems, all crying urgently for an
immediate settlement.
Of these problems perhaps one of the big
gest is the Kaffir. In the past he has fallen
through many schemes for his betterment.
and the missionaries hearts that he has
broken, to say nothing of the political econ
omists' and sociologists', are beyond num-
bering He is half a blessing and half an
affiiction. but for the aff1iction no cure has
yet been found adequate
He is patient, simple fellow, capable,
like other wild animals, Of domestication
and training. He can work. and sometimes
does work Occasionally he learns a trade
and labors at it in lowliness of heart. not
daring to compete with the white man; but
more commonly he is content to turn his
strength to rough labor, and let the higher
flights be.
What he may yet do is a question Of the
future; in how far he is to be allowed to
enter the market of trained labor consti-
tutes the problem in chief.
Up to the present he has shown himself
unambitious. He finds his destiny in serv-
ice and obedience: and the rule which has
best suited him Is benevolent despotism
1t Is word among the farmers that the
less you descend to your Kaffirs the more
they will hold you in esteem. l heard a
conversation once between an old colonial
md a new arrival on the stoop of an up
country hotel. The new arrival, after the
manner of his kind. was laying down the
law and the colonial was rebutting his In
ferences with considerable energy.
Il don't agree with your native policy"
said the new arrival. You seem to hold
them a little dearer than your dog a little
higher than your horse"
We'll. not exactly" replied the other
I'm not one of your negrophilists."
Without doubt the Kaffir is glad to be re-
lieved of the responsibility of thinking fol-
himself Where his duty consists in carry
ing out an order he shows himself an hon
est and trustworthy servant; but where he
finds a measure of responsibility devolve
upon him he goes all to pieces You may
trust a Kaftir to take your horse to be shod
but not to judge when the horse requires
shoeing and to choose between shoes and
plates.
But this is not a state that will last. Up
till now the Kaffr has burned his own
smoke. There will come the day when
that smoke will incommode whole white
people unless the proper (and only possi-
ble) precautions be taken. And we are thus
confronted with the question as to what
those necessary precautions are
Already the Kaffir is chasing the educa-
tional system and the practical schools
Already he Is pushing his remarkable men
to the front, and they, bless their hearts
are forming unions and societies and edit
Ing newspapers and agitating for votes and
making class legislation difficult for the
men that mean them well. These are but
the fOrerunnerS of a new, abnormal Super.
ficially civilized race of splendid vita lity
adaptable morals and no principles what.
ever.