The Colorado statesman., 1912-07-20
The MOVEMENT TO UNITE BY
The NATIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA
(From the Lagos, South Africa.
Weekly Record.)


Ing their interests and rights in the
face of the problems and perplexities
confronting them under the aegis of
the activities of present day civiliza-
tion, is rendered as indispensable as
1t Is inevitable. And inevitable be-
cause of the plain and undisguised
character of the treatment meted out
to the black man everywhere, involv-
Ing policy of invidious discrimina-
tion which excludes none but en-
braces all, and not only recognized
universally as the measure to be met
ed out to the black man, but pro-
claimed as the one condition upon
which the black man is to live, move
and have his being. With such an
outlook confronting him. the black
man would be less than human If he
failed to realize the situation and take
counsel with himself as to the ways
and means he should adopt for meet
ing the ominous outlook The very
exigencies of the circumstances in
which he finds himself, compel the
black man as a rational being to do
SO. Race preservation, which is only
another name for self-preservation, is
as important for him as for any other
human being. And whatever may be
said against the black man endeavor-
ing TO unite and formulate a national
policy from his own standpoint as
seton against the national problems
he is compelled to face, he is but act
Ing upon the dictates of reason and
common sense such as would actuate
any other people placed In like circum-
stances. Whenever such an attempt
of the kind Is made by the black man,
or even where the attempt is sug
gested, 1t is generally met with soft
sophisms something like the follow
ing:
He (the black NAM should always
persist in looking rather at the bright
than the gloomy side of their posi-
ton; that he should see how they ad-
vanced; that he should know and be-
lieve that nothing could check their
advance; that he should teach that
the darkest cloud had silver lining;
that he should frankly recognize and
highly value the services and co-opera-
tion of thousands Of Europeans in the
cause of justice, and he should
strengthen their hands and their work
and not make 1t more difficult; and
that he should abstain from express
ing doctrines which impaired to the
larger section of the European people
spirit of general injustice and gen.
eral hostility to the advancement of
the native"
The foregoing represents the time
honored advice rendered the black
man by his European well-wisher.
Those who tender the advice lose
sight of the important question which
1t postulates. Such question relates
to the reason why the grumblings of
the black man under the acknowledge
ed burden of distress and i'll treatment
meted out to him should arouse "a
spirit of general injustice and general
hostility" with the European, both
friends and foes, toward him. and that,
too, in spite of the wellknown fact
that of all men, the black man has
given the least cause of offense to the
European. This shows the existence
of bottom feeling of Ill will towards
the black man, and which because
of it's lacking any justification, invests
both the advice and friendship pro-
iS5otu Will a optSiouShtoo 10
too plain to be overlooked And the
shadowy character of both is further
exposed by the equivocal suggestion
that the native should keep his eye
or faith pinned to "the bright side"
of his position while that position is
one of overwhelming darkness and
despair. 1t would indeed be interest
ing and enlightening as well If Mr..
Schreiner or any other well wisher of
the native would indicate where the
light or hopeful prospect for the ma
tive of South Africa lies, when the in
tolerance and persecution which had
already been brought to bear at the
hands of white communities has been
legalized by his being disfranchised
by the act of union, and which the
efforts and services of the thousands
of Europeans advocating the cause of
Justice dipnot avail to prevent. And
while the African is bound to appre-
ciate services in the cause of justice
and humanity, at the same time he
recognizes also that such services are
specially directed to arrest injustice
with the European himself and have
him to conform to the rule of life and
to acquire the character which be-
comes him as the civilized and Chris
tian man which he claims to be. The
treatment of the native in the Congo
emphasizes the need of the services of
many thousands of Europeans still as
apostles of righteousness to their own
people in the cause of justice-a cause
which while indirectly bringing relief
to the victims of injustice, has for its
substantive object that of redeeming
the character of the European and
making him more truly an enlightened
and Christian man. AS regards "the
advance" which 1t is alleged the ma