Idaho County free press., 1923-11-01

,prsnsred by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington, d. c.
Southern Rh0desia has become the
9African Newfoundland, politically.
bv the recent vote of its people not
70 enter the Union of South Africa
but 10 become instead a separate unit
in the British empire. Adjoining the
Union on the north, the region had
come to be considered in this country
as having something like the status
of our one-time territories; and it
was thought to be a-foregone conclu-
sion that just as the United States, a
generation or so ago. reached out to
the west and made its territories into
states. the Union of South Africa
would reach nOrthward and incorpo-
rate its frontier regions. Technically
the Union has no definite claim on the
British colonies, protectorates and
regions more or less under British
control that lie to the north; but it
has boasted that it is "heir to all
South Africa" and even though South
ern Rhodesia stays out, it is not i'm
probable that other regions in the
neighborhood may join in the future.
Rhodesia is in many ways in con-
dition Of Development comparable to
that of some of the western prairie
states when they entered our Union.
Only trunk-line railroads have been
constructed, for the most part: the
close network Of the well-developed
country is vet to come. Highways,
too. are still few and poor. Both pro
duction and markets are largely un-
developed. and the farmers and ranch
men necessarily live the somewhat
hard and primitive lives Of the fren-
tier. In recent years, however, Vie
t0ria (captal of Southern Rhodesia).
BulawMo, Salisbury and other towns
have developed into modern mupici-
palities with all the conveniences of
the western world.
Still other slmilarities between
Southern Rhodesia and some pcrtions
of the United States lie in rhysicm
conditions and climate. The country
is a plateau region, dry and hot dur
ing the southern summer, hut with a
reasonable rainfall, usually during
other portions Of the year Rut at
times it has its severe droughts.
Owned by a Corporation.
In one way Southern Ihodesia is
without parallel in the United States,
Tor nothing approaching ownership of
an empire by a commercial corpora
uon has ever come up in our history.
IN fact, in the extent to which such
control has gone, Southern Rbodesia,
together with Northern Rhodesia and
adjacent territories, stands alcne even
IN British experience, which contains
the stirring history of the East India
eomDany's exploits in India.
.Ihe region, nearly half million
square miles in extent, became,
through concessions from native
clier' royal charter from the British
crown, and conquest, virtually the pri-
vate property Of the British South
airica company, Of which Cecil
Nnodes was the moving spirit. The
eOmpany as might be expected of any
ueVelopmental enterprise, sold land,
ieased mineral rights. and built rail-
,vaus and other engineering works.
nut besides all this 1t actually gov
eineo the country, though in late
sears the imperial government has as
az sunneu some measure of control over
'"e company's governmental activities.
VOW mining, ranching and agricul-
s, sIrai country, Southern Rhodesia may
slso nave a future as a manufactur-
s region. On its northern border
aO~s the zambesi river with its Vic
.u, .UIa rails of great volume, more than
sS sIlce the height of Niagara, promising
sawl Junuant power. Not far from the
'Sns are extensive coal fields.
M us People and Topography.
-ne natives of Southern Rhodesia.
NUMBERING some S0O,OO0 are in the
cio, i,T'nalous % position of having no Off
~ o,ai political status. They have drift
,nto n, Or ilke Topsy, have "just growed,g
hor. tnelr present condition. They
ish 'e never been formally made Brit
bas subjects, though British control
0een extended over the country.