The Bolivar County Democrat., 1922-10-21

from which the gold was probably
shipped.
Now a mining. ranching and agrt-
cultural country, southern Rhodesla
may also have a future as manufac-
turing region. On its northern border
iows the ZambeZi river with its Vic
toria falls of great volume, more than
twice the height Of Niagara, promising
abundant power Not far from the
falls are extensive coal fields.
Status Of the Natives.
The natives of southern Rhodesia,
numbering some 100000, are in the
anomalous position of having no Off
| cial political status. They have drift
ed, or like Topsy, have Just growed,"
| into their present condition They
have never been formally made Brit
| ish subjects though British control has
| been extended over the country They
might almost be considered subjects
| Of the British South Africa company.
| The company has all along laid claim
| to ownership of the lands on which
the natives live except the areas re
| Gently set apart as reservations. The
white population Of the country num-
, bers about 10000.
Southern Rhodesia is roughly cir
! cular, with diameter of about 450
| miles. It's entrance will add to the
Union an area approximately equal to
that Of California, second largest state
in the United States. The center Of
southern RhOdesia is about the same
! distance south of the equator as the
City of Mexico is north of that line.
| Somewhat further south, in Basuto-
land. the Young Basutos" are uneasy
under the rule of their chiefs and are
eager to make their government over
on something like European basis.
This means little until one learns
that Basutoland is a sort Of Indian
territory of South Africa, that 1t is
native states of the continent, and
that to a large extent movements
there are accepted as prophetic of de-
velopments over the whole of South
Africa. British South Africa and the
selfgoverning dominion. the Union of
South Africa, are not synonymous
Outside the Union-and inside it
are regions not connected government
ally with the Union but administered
directly by the British crown. OF
these no better example could be
found than Basutoland, an area the
size Of the Kingdom Of Belgium en-
tIrely surrounded by the provinces or
states of the Union but not subject to
them.
This region is in effect a gigantic
reservation set apart solely for ma
tives, and whites are not permitted to
own land in 1t. The few whites in the
section are officials, missionaries and
traders. A species of communism is
In force such as that practiced among
primitive peoples or under primitive
conditions in many parts of the world.
Cattle are pastured on commons and
the chiefs allot plots for agricultural
| use.
Most Enlightened of Natives.
In Basutoland the British have in
large measure practiced hands off
policy. In effect they have merely
built figurative fence around the
country have managed the main ma
chinery of the government, using Ba-
suto laws and customs wherever pos
sible, and have left practically all
minor matters to the chiefs to manage
in their own way under a paramount
chief who Is sort of kinglet. Educa-
tiOn in Basutoland is almost entirely
in the hands of missionaries.
Under British guidance and mis-
sionary tutelage, the Basutos have
forged rapidly ahead to the generally
recognized position of the most en-
lightened group of South African ma
tives. In century their numbers
have grown from 10000 to nearly half
| a million; and there are almost as
many cattle as people in the country.
Physically Basutoland is the Swift
zerland of South Africa, containing
the slopes and some of the SUBMITS
of the Drakensberg some of the lat
ter reaching an altitude of II, 900 feet