The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02
MORALITY AND CLOTHING.
More Evidence From Africa That Morality
Does Not Depend on Dress.


Sir Harry John ton Is the latsst to declare
that there Is 40 connection between the
moral sense OF q people or the degree OF
modesty they possess and the amount OF
clothing they wear.
When Spoke discovered the very inteM-
gent people Of Uganda, on the northern
shores OF Victoria Nyanza. he found to
his surprise, that they we're clad from head
TO foot in bark cloth. They took the fbrous
inr or bark OF n certain tree and by POUNDING
and working IL made a fairly serviceable
substitute for cloth.
SpeLe had sean no other natives, on his
long African journey who We're not rather
scantily attired. But the Baganda be-
neck 70 heel. In fact, there were very few
tribes throughout tropical Africa that are
30 completely clothed as the Baganda.
When Stanley visited the same people
years later. he found that Arab merchants
had carried tons Of cotton cloth to the
great lakes. Well-to-do BagInda were
wearing flowing robes OF Manchester oot-
tons or 'Merikani' as they called the prod
uct Of our New England looms. Every
man and woman was fully dressed. all
wanted cotton cloth and Stanley predicted
a great market for cottons as soon as cheaper
transportation should lessen the cost.
The railroad is now completed though
not yet open to freight traffic. The Baganda
will be soon able TO buy all the cheap cotton
cloth they want, for freights will be re-
duced 10 about one-fourth Of the price
charged these many years for costly car
rage on the backs OF men
After living among the Baganda for a
long time Sir Harry Johnston has recently
teresting facts To tell about these hundreds
OF thousands OF people who live on the
shores of the greatest African lake.
He says that though they are a very
carefully clothed nation and are almost
more squeamish about any exposure Of
the person than Europeans are, still they
are very lax in morals. They are decidedly
inferior in this respect TO the Kavirondo
tribe who live TO the southeast OF them.
The K~avirondo, in fact are quite punctili-
Gus in their department.
The interesting distinction to be made
between these tribes il that while the
Baganda, n Of the few completely dressed
tribes in tropical Africa, have no moral
code worth mentioning, as far as relations
between the sexes are concerned, the
Kavirondo, ono of the few tribes in tropical
Africa hat wear no clothing OF any de-
scription, maintain a comparatively high
standard Of morality.
The contrast between these two peoples
is the most striking illustration yet ad-
duCed In support OF the assertion, often
made. that the moral standards In vogue
among the barbarous peoples Of Africa
cannot be measured by the amount OF
-
clothing they wear,
The Nasal women also, who live further
east. are completely differentiated from
their half-clad sisters Of other tribes by
the fact that no women in the world are
more completely clothed than they are.
Every line of their forms is entirely yelled
by the flowing robes that are fastened
around their necks and drop to their feet:
but no one has ever thought that the Nasal
women we're at all pru1ish.
A . m x.allAr who haa rplantly rattirn p6 from
the line Of the Uganda railroad says Z hat
a section Of the Nasal people seems to he
threatened with extinction. The daughters
and mothers among them took a great
the road bed; and when the work was done
and hundreds Of the natives Of India left
the Nasal country a great many OF the ma
tive women went with them.
Sir Harry Johnston says that through
the efforts Of tho numerous missionaries
h are working among them, the Ba-
ganda, on the whole, are moving toward
a higher plane Of morality. These excellent
men who have, at least nominally, converted
thousands Of the natives to the Chris
tian faith, are relieved Of one burden which
their brethren in some other parts of Africa
have thought It important to assume. As
the Baganda are fully clothed II il not neces-
TO agitate in favor of clothing reform.
At many Of III" Congo mission stations, on
the other hand. the teachers. whether
wisely OF not, insist in dressing the children
of their schools much rs country boys and
girls in America are dressed. Not a few
OF missionary enterprise are
inclined to think that these teachers arc
a mistake in view OF the fact that
attire in that region does not pro-
mote immortality or suggest improperly
and that the little boys and girls are un-
doubtcdly uncomfortable in a land of steady
heat by being compelled to wear clothing
that il better adapted for n temperate
climate.