Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-09-04


The Rt. Hon. j. Bryce. member of
Parliament, delivered lecture at Ok
ford recently upon The Relations of
the Advanced and Backward Races of
Mankind" which is provoking much
interesting discussion in the English
press. He described the various re-
suits of the contact of two races diff
fering in strength. Either the weaker
race died out or was absorbed into
the stronger. or the two became COM
mingled into something different from
what either was before, or, finally. the
two continued TO dwell together un-
mixed, each preserving its own char
acteristics. BY the two processes OF
absorption and extinction alone more
than half the tribes or peoples that
existed when authentic history began
have disappeared, and Mr.. Bryce is of
opinion that within two centuries
there might be less than forty Ian.
guages left and less than twenty ma
tionalities-that is, branches of man
kind of the same stock. As to the fu
ture of mankind, he doubted whether
any further mixture of advanced ana
backward races is to be desired. Mr.
Bryce dwelt with special emphasis
upon the relations of the two races
where institutions are democratic, as
in the United States, and as may yet
be the case in South Africa and the
Philippines. Evidently referring to
this country, he says: "As regards
political rights race and blood should
not be made the ground of discrimin.
alton. Where the bulk of the colore
race is unfit for political power a quail
iticatiOn based on property and educa-
tiOn might be established, which would
permit the upper section of the race
to enjoy the suffrage" AS regards
social relations, Mr. Bryce goes to the
root of the question when he says:
Law can do but little save in the
way of expressing the view the state
takes of how its members should be-
have to one another. Good feeling ana
good manners cannot be imposed by
statute" "'Tis true, and pity it's tits
true" but the truth of it is illustrated
almost every day in this country. Mr..
Bryce is greatly puzzled when he re.
members how successful Mohammed-
anism has been in overcoming all color
difficulties and creating the sentiment
of equality among its followers. while
Christianity has been unsuccessful.
Perhaps this is because Christianity
inculcates charity towards all and re-
ligious equality, while it does not con-
Germ itself with social and political
equality. If it did, all ranks would be
leveled-a process for which the world
is not vet ready. The questions grow
ing out OF the contact of the backward
and advanced races in this country
must be left to time to settle, and this
is evidently Mr.. Bryces opinion. as
he says in the close of his lecture:
When we think of the problems which
are now being raised by the contact
of races, clouds seem to hang heavy
on the horizon of the future. vet light
sire lms in when we remember that
the spirit in which civilized states are
preparing to meet those problems is
higher and purer than it was when.
four centuries ago, the great outward
movement of the European peoples be-
gan" The process of solution must
be slow, but it will be fastened when
the backward race shows such signs
of coming forward that it will be for
the interests of the advanced race to
aid its upward movement.