The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-19
OBSERVATIONS IN ABYsslNIA.
The Competition fBr the Oyervalued
Plums ~ Meneik's Tree.

Plums az Menelik'H Tree.
To THR Enron on tbs sUN-sr: About
I've years ago | traverscd the whole Of the
Abyssinian tableland, going In from the east
coast, coming out by way OF Khartum. Several
Europeans, but no other American, believe,
have visited the interesting region lying
north Of the Blue Nile. As my journey was
made shor,ly after the killing Of the CalIpha.
] CHANGED 10 be the nrst white man 10 come
down tue Aba blue Nle). out Of Abysslnia
INTO che Sudan. DR.. Donaldson Smith, AID
later Mr.. Mcmillan, have seen much Of the
familiar region lying between the coast and
MeheilSs capital Dr. Smith accomplished
ln tho unknown lands south Of Adds Abeba
more extended aud more thorough eXplora-
IONS than any American traveller Ia all East
Africa. His remarkable service was recog-
MED by the Royal Geographical Society,
which conferred upon him lis coveted gold
medal Mr.. Mcmillan Is doubtless now more
familiar with up TO date Abyssnian matters
except as TO the northern region above men
toned than any dther American. Mr.. White
house, travelling with a party of British
spoTtsmcn. after reaching Adds ADeba
turned south, making an interesting journey
to Mombasa on the east coast Mr.. Lewis
OF this city has visited the capital twice. and
mas made some excursions along routes al
ready traversed but not widely known TO
Europeans. our OfiCIal mission. going up
TO make treaty, did not. believe, depart
from the well known route connecting the
coast with Adds Abeba the capital
MY impression Ia that the treaty can do
no harm, and probably will do no good Our
cotton goods were almost exclusively illng
tho Abyssinian market five years aro, when
Menelk was stu ignorant Of what the word
America meant. Indeed ! found that the
best, though imperfect, Identification Of my
nationality was accomplished by showing
the King pictures Of big cotton mills. as they
appear IN Picturesque America "a hand
some publication now not frequently seen
which / close as a present to the King, hop
ing thus 20 tx MA in the royal mind. IL was
gratifying 10 be able 70 state, az ] did. Inns,
your Majesty, Is picture OF the, houses ~
winch Is made nearly oil the Cloth worn ih
your kingdom The sale Of American goods
was brought about by those principles Nhlch
~ aboN" treaties. creek nerChanlS ul IaI,uI
dominate Abyssinian trade they iouhd u
ltle cheaper to buy in Boston lhah IN Man
CHlsicr, That is all.
Besides the Greeks one sees a few French
Traders IN AbyssuIa. The departing caravan
Of one Of thcsC. the most prominent. was
met boy me- as vent NJ from tie coast Atgr
years Of splendid effort this geuueweh pc
lleved the kIug had Grown Jealous 81 ms pros
poets and had cut on his privileges 70 a aus
hearlGnng degree. Yet ne french D oneiIn,
ment las for years maintained an expensive
mission in Abyssinla, and has ~ every way
done more than all other c,vllzed nations
combined 10 open AhyssiniA TO the WINE
world The English also have gone 10 much
rains in tho matter 4 great mission went
UP about eight wears ago, treaty MAKING, ahq
able representatives have been maintained
at Adds Ahcha since that time. Yet not an
EnGl -h trader vas found in all the lard. me
empire commerce vas TcITcsehiGd bN
Few Hindu merchants Win smaH stoIH.
Ncnnlk seems 20 nc. in truth, CONSCIOUSLY
10 extend favor 90 the tnd'lduai tracer ~
MYERS" ratio TO the activity oi INC Uadcr
Govcrru.Drf Besct ith the ioHlousiCs OF
Great Britain and Of France tltalN haNlnE
In tOuTfn
soft word and n gilt
That commercial results will for many
years bo ridiCul0Esly out OF PROPORTION 10 an
the exercise Of statocrali seen 90 NhN1'lllH
] am firmly convinced. hcinembcrlhE ihe
damgiug figure which ] made with SIR John
Harrington British diplomatic aEent h-
affecting the Ereunh railway which Is strug-
cling uuf O Harrar. fancy that he, 100, knows
that prestige not wealth. awaits British
effort I'm kbvssinia American renders may
have forgotten that in the days when Fqsh3da
stirred the cabinets IL was believed lhat
Meneliks attitude might seriously AFFECT inc
whole Egvptian problem British ehoTt has
largely taken its direction from Cairo
The dream Of f9shoda rs past - t,aihUe
may probably turn her attention from Adds
Ibyssinia is potentially rich: It is abso,
lutely poor Nor can its fair pra!Tes weld
Guercd Such a conquest by European arms
would be as bloody crime as the world ever
saw " hen IL may have been enacted We
may sell more cotton goods 20 a country
whose people or tho surviving iraCton, OF
them shall have hHpn maze 10 It'll'Nt lUhN
numbers and labor are great blessings
Just now. held IN Mencllks strong hand.
tho ucOplc are a. peace. and fatten a l'ttlo on
IT, fruits while yCarnlng for the Hne excite
rlcnts Of war What viii happen after Meme
lik's death Tho Is about 6U wears OF aEel no
body knows probably a sCrmmage or the
Nr.f order between factions OF the great vas
sails They are splendid Eentlemauly fellows
living In bic hut~ sct on with few tawdTy
Eur1ueau Trainings HHrrar Is not an Ahys-
sinian. hut rrther an Egyptian town. near
the pl1tcau'S edge toward the eas' u Is the
hirgrst town in HE land. the population be.
ing about thirty thousand. II was captured
hy N'uelk about twenty years AGO tier" the
built Nonelik's palace Is European
wonder 20 his people We should call u
rather rusty rambling country house. much
In need ol paint Here the wise tyrant rules
deserts, were IL not peopled by o charming nm
irvaI 1.-Two race Who can fght. then might We
ir1ustr ali7e and eloCtTilv rs W ide savanrahs
] saw the natives, IN reg ors never before
visited by the white man. trading goa Dust
In quills and weighing little nuggets against
n standard pebble. Menelk had some
Prospecting done by a French engineer whom
/ met on his way out. He was not az liberty
10 state results Several concessions have
been granted. one five years aRo To British
conpanv. and now, more recently, ! believe,
ono 10 Mr. owls. WI atever NAV result. the
concession illustrates. ] believe. tho fact that
rrivate initiative, rather than Government aid.
viii be able to gather the Few plnms which
are to be shaken from the oNeTostmated
but our ofical NEGOTIATIONS may at least
have this value--it will now be easier for an
advcnturing American TO Identity himself
obtain some marked preponderance in Abys-
sina our now INSIGNIFICANT treaty might
serve as a basis for insist once upon The open
door OSCAR r. CROSBY