Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-16
THE ABYSSINIAN KINGDOM
MIR. O. It. CROSBY's VIEWS OF PEO-
PIE AND CUSTOMS.
Surprised To Find There a Telephone
Line Two Hundred Miles ~
in Length,

Mr. O. T Crosby lectured before the Ma
tional Geographic Society last evening CIV
ing the result of some of his observations
during a visit to the comparatively I'M
known land of Abyssinia in the year 1879.
After telling of the difficulties encountered
in arriving at his destination and giving
vast amount of information upon other
lines Mr.. Crosby said:
There is nothing more bizarre than TO
find in this kingdom, which is, so far as
mechanical arts are concerned, very be-
nighted. a long-distance telephone line; yet
in following the main highway of the king
dom, over mountain trails which almost
defy even the patient mule, one scarcely
loses sight for q distance of 200 miles of
the familiar telephone pole. This Is the
work of a few enterprising Frenchmen, the
same who are at the head of the Djibontl
railway enterprise. They were aided by a
Swiss who has been at the right hand OF
Mencllk for something like twenty years.
How much there is of the commercial,
how much of the political element in this
extraordinary work of these Frenchmen L
do not venture to say, said Mr. Crosby.
They undoubtedly appear to Menehk as
the chief interpreters of our mechanical
civizat ton.
"Menelik's army is supplied with French
rifles and cartridges. and may the day be
long distant when these French-made bull
lets Snal ne ulfcCIed against European
troops, of whatever nationality.
Due to the trouble which the white man
seems to have brought into his country,
Menelik has been. for one so eager to tread
the path of civilization, rather slow to give
permanent hold to white interests. The
concession to the railway people was
marked departure. and subsequently the
concession to some English mining people
for work in western Abyssinia marks an
other step toward progress and national de-
struction Menelik is. indeed. at the part
ing of the ways and while earnestly seek
ing the betterment of his people as well as
his own glory. | believe he is leading them
to the brink of destruction.
The Abyssinian, indeed, is individually
rather an independent, easy-living. battle
loving, demonstrating, sensual, devll-may-
care chap. but one must guard against Civ
ing any definition or description which snail
be taken universal in it's application.
Their laziness, their fondness for back
shesh. a characteristic which is found even
in the high places; their inaccuracy and
their pride, puffed up by the defeat of the
Italians: their ignorance of what we know
to be our immense superiority in a thous-
and different directions, all this for time
irritates the traveller, but in the end there
Is left rather pleasant impression of kind
ness.
To-day Menelik and the Sultan of Moroc-
co control the only two territories independ-
ena of actual occupation or diplomatic claim
on the part of some European power. AS
between the powers this division has been
made without bloodshed, and is notable
triumph for diplomacy. And l believe that
the European domination of African terri
tories may be counted as blessed, for GER
tainly those territories which have passed
beyond the first paroxysms of savage re-
sstance now show larger and more COM
Portable populations than existed under
native rule and misrule This Is not set
forth as an apology for the grasping OF ter
rtories held by lower races. Our ethical
standard is not well enough determined for
application to these cases, and. moreover,
the grasping continues to take place,
whether we count it as right or wrong
G. W Birthda Y Hs tchets Cherries &C. Gould g