The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-07
CIVILIZATION
Robbed Africa of
Ideal Days
rlaintive Note Struck by
Basuto Chiefs Carrying
Grievance to King
Edward

London, Feb. 2.--.The three Basuto
chiefs arc still waiting patiently to
lay the grievances of their South AT,
rican subjects. before King Edward,
and Leguila, the Eagle" the white
bearded father of the party, who is
almost nonagenarian, is suffering
from the fashionable malady of in
fluenZa.
Seeing that the present times ap-
pear to be SO tull of tribulation for
the Basutos, an Express representative
interviewed the two chiefs Moloi and
Lessisa Tsotetsi ("Clearing of the
Skies") on the past of their people
and its comparison with the present.
Speaking through an interpreter,
the representative gained informa-
ton which showed that this dusk.
race had realized the ideal republic at
its very genesis, and would be only
too glad to go back to the first state
CT things now, with just few amen
tiles of civilization thrown in.
What we have heard from our fa-
Tiers tongues" said old, smiling Les
sisa Tsotetsi, land they form the ton
CUES of their fathers, is that at the
lightning all the people and all the
cattle and goats and livestock came
up out of the earth, and then the
found maize and mealies growing in
the valleys in abundance. They did
not pillow and SOW, but when the cror
were ripe they gathered them.
1--WE have also heard that in those
days our people"did no work; but they
sat down. sang and danced and the
chiefs gave feasts of cattle, milk and
yuala (natiVe beer). No man under
so years Of age was allowed to have
any yuala.
THE people were very peaceful, and
II any quarrel occurred between two
tribes it was settled in a day and the
next day was peaceful. The Basuto
all dressed in those days.
Our trouble compel us to recall
tto;e stories of our fathers, an
some of our people wish they hat
never been civilized. We record the
history Of the past from the words
OF our parents. The fathers call tho
young boys to their knees and tell
and the names and acts of the chief
and great men, and the boys want tn
! past back again.
I'VE occupied large tracts of LAID
and | do not know why it was begun
but our people Of the past started tc
plant crops Of maize and measles anC
to rear large herds of cattle and goats
and native sheep. We were very happy
always. There was plenty of maize
melons and pumpkins, and these were
our principle food Whenever we
wished to go hunting we could do so
We believe that there was q God be
fore anybody elsce told us So and he
was known as Molimo. We called oul
departed fathers balimo (spirits) ant
we believe that they looked just like
ourselves
Thus was completed a picture of
state as near the ideal as possible
| reace. prosperity, health, happiness
perfect freedom and definite religi
GUS belief. But it was a savage stat
and civilization came to the country
The old chiefs idea of the presen
state may be gathered from the rest 0
the interview.
Nov we are not happy" said Clear
ing Of the Skies" 1--WE are constant,
from what they were before. In tn
Gays | have told you of we could trav
eI to any place where we wished t,
go without carrying a pass, as w
must do now civilization has come.
"Our country is fenced round an,
When we want TO go TO see a relation
III another place we must travel rount
the fence to find the gate. The oil
paths trodden by our fathers are al
clored or wiped away. All civilization
has brought us trouble with it's elias
laws in our country
But what we like in civilization
even though now all the peace an
abundance and freedom seems to hav
gone the past days, is education an
religion and clothes, horses and wag
ons, plows, brick houses, salt and sr
gar, and other things that make foo
tasty to eat. All, yes" and the oil
CHIEFS face ligbtened eve should Xix
the past to be just as 1t was. and al
the civilized things added to it,"