The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-02
AFRICA RIVALS ASIA
In Diplomatic Circles ofEurope
for Attention.
SERIOUS TROUBLES THERE
French Defeated by MenCIik'S
Decision in AbysSinia.
SERIOUS TROUBLES THERE

london, Sept. Ito Africa rather than
Asia the eyes Of European diplomacy are
now turning. Events there are march
ing rapidly. Problems Of immense i'm
portance press for solution. Issues in
morocco. TripoH, Egypt. the soudsn ana
AbyssInia involve several OF the leading
powers.
IN The southern end Of the continen,
spheres Of influence have been fairly well
oelimted- But controversies between the
Britons and Dutchmen are likely 10 tax
the resources CT British statesmanship
.or years to come.
This is al the more likely to be the
case 4 men OF the type CT DR. Leyds anu
Ny Reltz succeed in organizing an anti
British propaganda On the continent OF
course Great Britain VIII win But the
complete success may be long postponed.
Britain in Lead.
In north Africa and 10 a less degree
in central Africa tie situation contains
different ard dangerous elements. Bus
IN both sections, as in the south. Britain
seems TO be getting sure lead n the
rae
Emperor Menelik's decision 10 grant no
mere Abyssinian concessions % Euro
peans IS Interpreted in Paris. as wen as
london. u mean that British advice is
paramount az the court Of me negus.
Britain has already obtained from Mem
elk all she desires" says the Temps.
and now she adopts a dog-ln-the- mat
ger policy, doing all IN her power 70
persuade the negus that he has made
concessions enough.
This fairly epitomizes Brftala-- african
policy ia the mountain kingdom
Paris Is Grieved.
Londoas coup with MeneIik IS q bitter
disappointment 10 Parts The French
government expended large sums to ger
the A5yssinian king 10 cast his lot with
France. Russia, acting through Count
Leontif who once held from Manolik
the curious post Of governor general %
the equatorial provinces OF the soudan.
has endesvored TO promote Frencn W.
dertakings- For q tiIr- Il looked al Il
Muscovite and Gallo arts had won the
day.
Bat the wife Of Nenelik. woman OF
great force and h.sh in the political con
fdence Of the negus. seems 10 have take.i
the British side and TO have convinced her
husband that he has most 10 gain by
aIying himself with the London govern
nent
AT ali events. Ras Makonnen, the priR-
cipaI general Of the negus. who attended
King Edwards coronation and then VS.
fled Paris. had scarcely left France ere
Il was announced that the negus had
made an end Of concessions to Europeans.
And this the French once organ calls
British victory
Row Over Railway.
Unless mutual caution is exercised the
rivalry between France and Britain over
the Abyssfzian railway viii lead TO poiit-
teal trouble Menelik save the concession
20 the French. They built part Of the
Inc. When their funds were exhausted
they applied for British capital and Sc
cured il oa'rhe condition that the British
should control the road Now that the
-coustruction Of a branch is contemplated
% Zeua. port in British Somailand. the
French are alarmed and are trying TO
get control af the main line by buying
Up the British stock.
There is bin now before the chamber
o. deputies granting state guarantee TO
the Abyssiuisn railway. The idea OF its
sponsors IS TO make the affair great
national question. But even supposing
the British shareholders were willing TO
sci. the French could not prevent the
ZeIIa brarch line from being built. So
the whole question remains hopelessly 20
Iitlcai and gravely complicates the u
terior aims Of the rival powers in Abys-
sinia
Italy's attitude toward Tripoli is an
other factor to be reckoned with. II the
semi-inspired Freredeublatt of Vienna
can be relied upon. the visi: Of the Itai-