Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-08
A. D.. He showsH n 10
Au african DCdu DLuullLCA ~
by GARRETT r.. SERVES,


How powerfully the old Greek adese.
as rendered by Pope, the proper study
OF mankind Ia man." appeals to one who
looks at the accompanying photograph
Of an African warrior. dwelling In tho
valley OF the Kafue river. in the center
Of the southern half of the great dark
continent. and on the line OF tho pro-
posed Cape TO Cairo railroad near the
18th degree OF south latitude
lie 10 one Of our contemporaries on
tho earth Frim his point Of Wow he
has just ~ good a claim TO be consid-
cred up to date" as we have. While
sharing with VA the general character
istics Of a human being, he hRs q genuine
belief In the superiority Of his own kind
OF culture, or civilization, which we call
sayagery
The fact that the white man has many
Inventions which puEsle him and mako
him afraid does not convince him that
he ought TO abandon the ways and IDEAS
Of his fathers and live like tho pale
faced weSrers OF supsrfluous clothes and
bearers OF fire-spoutinR weapons He
does not admire them. They look as
ridiculous 10 him with their trousers
and hats as he docs TO them with his
powerful bare legs and horn-shaped top
knot. oonaistinE OF plated hair and bark
strings stiffened with clay, polished with
grsase and pointed with an antelope's
horn soraped down 20 a tip OF almost
needle sharpness. He knows that his
dress and hts manners. his person and
his deeds. are pleasing 90 the bellies OF
his tribe. And what moro could hO
wishg
The fact lie that as We look over this
world We are altogether too seit-centerod
In our thoughts about t. We have got
q deep seated prejudice In favor Of our
own ways and ideas. Because we can
outwit and overcome the less oivilized or
savage races. and because they have
manners and oustome repusnant to US,
we are too apt to think that they have
no right TO be either what they are or
whore they are, We exasgerate all their
bad qualities and ignore their good ones
There are too few of ne who zee the
other side OF the medal. How many
readers OF these lines. looking at the pic
ture OF this African man, in the midst of
his native fields and woods. stops TO
think, with astonishment and shame.
that for unnumbered centuries the self
called superior races have made Africa
a hunting ground for slaves, and that
even yet slave caravans traverse It's
highlands. its forests and It's rivers.
carrying off its inhabitants as II they
were wild animals. 20 be turned into
beasts of burdenf
with all It's forbidding historical fes-
lures. Africa 10 n land OF fascinating
romance. not less so now than In the
days Of Bruce OF Livingston and OF
a Stanley. The vast central plateau
stretching thousands OF miles In al
directions, with its picturesque woods
broad grassy plains, tres-shaded rivers
waterfalls. rocky hills. winding paths anC
trails. lakes, mountains. primitive vii
lagos, strange. beautiful and terrible
animals-hIpopotami, Sebras. gratis. eie
plants. buffaioes. apes. gorillas-and IL
curious tribes Of men. Is almost like I
separate world.
Everything about Africa bears a staml
: Of originality. The cloud of mystery tina
? rests upon II has not yet been cieare
. away. Thousands OF square miles OF II
territory have never been visited or seel
, by q white man. Antiquity has LEI
! singular marks upon II. footsteps Of al
/, most unknown oonQusrors, ruins o
: mysterious structures. memorials Of an
! oIent, forgotten days Of pride an
A power.
It's riches are as yet UNEMPLOYED, sxesp