The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-14
SOUTH AFRICAN RACES,
The Mixture OF whites; Native Blacks. Mon
gOlians. East Indians and MalaSs.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SrN-Sir: As one
resident in South Africa for some years !
desire TO take exception to some OF the state
ments in f. +" letter in your issue of Aprl ",
inasmuch as they are likely to convey q false
impression of the real facts connected with
the race question in that region.
First, az to the indigenous inhabitants, the
various Katir tribes. with a sprinkling OF
Hottentots: There is, il is true. a movement
among the better class OF these aborigines.
who have been educated of late years at
the Iovedale Academy. TO form high asplra-
tions, tending toward the doctrine OF africa
for the Africans: but as the number OF
these educated blacks is, comparatively
speaking, small, and their influence confined
to the district around King Williams Town,
where they have started n paper called lmpo
in their own language, which has a fair cir
~culatlon among the missionary converts.
but little attention is paid by the Colonial
Government to their vaporings, the great
mass of the natives being still in the SEMI
wild and superstitious stage OF civilization.
The Basutos and Zulus, however, have proved
themselves capable of attaining q high degree
Of education. higher probably than that OF
the majority Of their colonial Dutch neigh
bors. Certainly they learn to speak Eng
lish with a purer accent and idiom. The
Fingos, on the other hand, originally a heavy
headed. servile class, who delighted not In
war. have by virtue of being domiciled in
British territory taken to agricultural pur-
suits. and are now possessed oil comfortable
little farms and properties,
The question of the Chinese immigrants
TO the Rand has already been taken up by
the newly elected English Parliament. and
will doubtless be threshed out thoroughly
before a final decision Is arrived at as to
whether or not the present system of inden-
turing them for service in the mines is to con-
true in force. From the first a strong voice
of protest was raised against their employ
ment, both by the English and Dutch colo
nisvs throughout South Africa. no doubt on
the ground mainly Of their ethnic unftness
az Asiatics for an African environment; and
their somewhat lurid advent to the Cape
on any other grounds than those OF FINANCIAL ihst
while the white and the black races may and
do agree we'll together. and even amalgamate
to a certain extent, the introduction into their
midst, of a third human element Is lnyarlably
such a mixed society, where the dinerentiat-
ing characteristics are so opposite, SO, too.
cooperate with more or less success within
certain limits, but beware OF admitting the
Tartar or, the Japanese, into the combination
may prove, intolerable, and mutual distrust
will be likely to follow.
case is somewhat different. For several
years past these members of the poorer and
lower Hindu castles have been coming into
Natal by the shipload; so much so. indeed,
that In 1903 the authorities at Durham refused
to admit more for a time, and forced several
ships to return with their living cargoes
whence they came. OF the 100. 600, Indians
mentioned by your correspondent. fully So
garden colony" OF South Africa, il admirably
suited to the employment OF such a numerous
and Impoverished population, The southern
portion Of Natal has a humid climate and a
tropical fora, and produces maize, sugar.
tea, coffee, ~plneapples, ,mangoes. .RuaNas,
loquats and other tropical plants. After In
denturing themselves for a period of years as
ultimately are able to make a start on their
own account as market gardeners and ped
lers OF fancy goods. Many. indeed. have
managed to acquire sufficient wealth to open
stores for general merchandise. particularly
in Durham. The remaining 20,O10, OF them
have drifted northward into the Transvaal,
especially into the western portion OF that
province, where, by dint of accepting 9 smaller
rate of profit than the average trader. they
have absorbed much of the lesser store bust
ness of Potchefstroom, Kluksdorp. Mafeking.
Vryburg and even Kimberley.
Many are Mussulmaus. but the Mussul-
man store Keepers to whom your CORE
spondent refers at Cape Town and Port Eliza
beth belong again to a different race. being
Malays, some 10000 Of whom have been
settling in Cape Colony since the early times
brought them from the East Indies. These
last, though they retain their own religion
still. speak the Cape Dutch pdtois.. They
have almost entirely forgotten their own
mother speech. n. W. II.
PHILADELPHIA, April II.