The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-18
OUTBREAK DUE
TO INJUSTICE
Harsh Treatment of Natives by
the Germans.
ROBBED OF THE LAST PENNY
HERR BEBEL'S SPEECH IN THE
REICHSTAG.
ROBBED OF THE LAST PENNY

Berlin. March 17.-Herr Bebel, the
socialist leader, speaking in the reichs-
Tag today during the debate on the sup
Elementary appropriation for German
southwest Africa. said the whites
seemed TO him To be primarily respon-
SlDte FOR the insurrectiOn of the Her
reros. The traders, he asserted. per-
suaded the natives to buy on credit ar
ticies which they did not require i'm
their mode of living. charging 500 per
cent over their actual value. Thus the
natives were deeply in debt, and their
burdens were increasing year by year
The colonial Office in 1903 in order 10
lessen the traders eXactiOns. ruled that
debts Of certain kinds due TO traders
were not cOliectible after one year. and
the traders proceeded TO force the coll
lection by taking cattle at ridiculously
low valuations. This ruling. intended
10 protect the natives, Immediately
multiplied the differences about the
debts. The Herreros saw themselves
ruined and rebelled.
System Did Not Work.
The government, Herr Bebel further
charged, undertook to transplant TO
Southwest Africa ITS preposterOUs bu-
reaucratic system as in force at home.
For instance. it Obliged natives to get
permits TO kill jackals.
DR. Steubel. director of the colonial
office, said that from the informa tion
received 50 far, IL was impossible to
draw "A final conclusion as TO the causes
IF the uprising Some colOnials assert
81 that the natives had been harshly
treated, while others claimed that Col
onel Leutwin. the governor of German
Southwest Africa. was too mild in his
administration Of the affairs of the col
ony. The colonial Office had adopted
the regulations which Herr Bebel crit
icised because It was seen to be neces-
sary to remedy the existing relations
between the traders and the natives.
One Cause of Trouble.
: The further course of the debate had
an odd result. ranging Herr Bebel eand
Former Court Preacher StOecker side
by side. Both cited the testimony OF
missionaries concerning the influence
which the relations between the white
settlers and the native women had or
the outbreak, and particularly on GER
tain atrocities practiced on the whites
I'm the presence OF native young women
and both demanded that the govern
mcnt seek the advice Of the mission
aries. Dr.. StOecker warned the gov
eminent Of the danger of extreme Sc
verify, and especially against robbine
the natives of all property and legal
rights.
During the discussion of the naval
estimates. Herr Bebel referred to the
case of Naval Ensign Huessner (whC
was convicted of killing a soldier al
Essen because he did not salute him
properly. He declared the people were
unable 10 comprehend the leniency dis
played In this case, where the sentence
was finally pared down to two years
in a fortress, whereas two sailors were
sentenced to six years and seven years
respectively. for beating two non-com-
Wissioned officers during a drunken
spree in q restaurant. Such discrim-
ination. Herr Bebel said wounded the
sentiment Of the people for equal hand
ed justice.
Admiral Won Tirpetz, responding
briefly TO Herr Bebel, referred TO the
facts which the courts regarded as pal
liative i'm Huessner's case. and said ht
was not competent to review the action
OF the courts.