Arizona republican., 1909-11-02
The Passing of Menelik.

Dispatches announcing the immi
 nent death of Menelik, king of Abys-
 sinia, have turned the attention of the world to its greatest black man. This old warrior and statesman, rul-
 ing with autocratic power over Africa's last really independent country, has
 successfully opposed the encroach- ments of European powers. and has raised Abyssinia to a position of con-
 siderable importance in the ranks of
 nations.
 On March l, 1896, old Menelik at the head of his warriors defeated and practically annihilated an Italian army of 10000 men under General Bara- tieri, in the battle of Adowa- That battle not only opened the eyes of the Abyssinians, but it put a quietus on, Italy's ambitions to extend it's sphere of influence over Menelik's kingdom Likewise, the other Euro pean nations suddenly concluded that Abyssinia was a good country to let alone.
 The Abyssinians cannot, of course, be classed with the other black races of Africa, and it is to their admixture of white blood that their fighting qualities, their shrewdness in trade, their independence of spirit. and theii comparative civilization must be att tributed. They proudly claim rela- tionship with the Jewish race. and King Menelik traces his ancestry to Menelik. son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who. as queen of Abyssinia, visited Jerusalem, and as the Bible sets forth. there won the heart of Israel's wisest man. The location of Abyssinia between the Nile and the Red sea led in biblical times to the commingling of Hamites and Semites and negroes from the south, with the present hybrid race as the re- sult-Abyssinia being the Ethiopia of the Bible. The national religion is a perverted Christianity. introduced into the country in the fourth century. One tribe. however. professes Judaism, and another is Mohammedan.
 Following Menelik's death. the fu- ture of Abyssinia will be problemat- ical After the disastrous battle of Adowa, Italy. which previously had claimed a protectorate over the coun try. made a treaty with Menelik and fully acknowledged the independence of his country In 1898 Great Britain which also had learned to respect 'Abyssinia, ,ceded to Menelik 5000 square miles of territory which had been in dispute. But treaties are re- spected only so long as the parties thereto can protect their rights; and as Menelik, according to the dis patches. has named his young grand son as his successor. we may lock 1 for a scramble among the European powers to get, first, the confidence of the young ruler. and thereafter ac- quire political control.
 Abyssinia is we'll worth the atten- 1 ton of the land hungry nations .: the old world. Lying in northeast l Africa, at an average altitude of 5000 | feet above the sea. having an area of some 15O,00O square miles-being one third larger than Arizona-a popuia- i tion of 3.5OO,OOO. and possessing agri- i cultural and mineral resources of great ] importance, it will be lucky. indeed, | if it can continue to fight off foreign | encroachments. The fact that It's boundary lines are vaguely defined, and that British and Italian territory | lie on two sides of it. will furnish | opportunity for future quar- rels.