THE FUTURE OF THE BANTU PEOPLE. 2=^^ 



Whatever may be the subject matter Plaatje deals with he 

 knows how to use the EngHsh language with propriety, a language 

 by no means easy to use. He has also made a collection of 

 Sechuana Proverbs and their European equivalents, which 

 deserves the commendation it has received in England. He is 

 also the author, or joint author, of some educational w^orks. He 

 is a native one remove from barbarianism, and his life is yet 

 before him. He has had the good sense to marry one of his own 

 race, and if there is anything in heredity, we may see some clever 

 people in that family. 



The third man I mention is J. Tengo-Jabavu, the well-known 

 journalist of Kingwilliamstown, with whom I was closely asso- 

 ciated when I lived there. Jabavu is a Fingoe, and comes of 

 parents who lived the ordinary native life. He attended school 

 at Somerset East and Heakltown. and was the first Bantu to 

 matriculate at the Cape University. His family was not well oft', 

 and to get further education he went to Lovedale, where, among 

 other duties, he edited a small Kaffir paper published by the Mis- 

 sion. Dr. Stewart considered he made it too political, so they 

 separated, he going to Kingwilliamstown, where a small com- 

 mittee enabled him to start the well-known paper luivo. jabavu 

 has never written book or pamphlet ; he is just a journalist and 

 politician. He is thoughly acquainted with the British Constitu- 

 tion, and the leading ideas of the men who have made the P2mpire, 

 especially of those who have ruled it for the last half century. He 

 has been a keen South African politician all his life, and secured 

 the esteem of our leading statesmen long ago. As a journalist, 

 he lias exercised very great influence, as a Avriter of pure sound 

 English he has few equals. He married a woman of his own 

 people, and one of his sons is a man who will probably do greater 

 things for the native race than his father has been able to attempt. 

 I refer to Professor Don Jabavu, one of the educational staft" of 

 the newdy-founded Native College at Fort Hare. As this boy 

 could not be educated in the Colony because of his colour, his 

 father sent him to Enlgand, where he took his B.A. degree with 

 Honours at London University — the first Bantu to attain to this 

 distinction. He continued his education subsequently at Birming- 

 ham University, learnt the business of a printer, did work as a 

 journalist, took some teacher's certificates. He went to America 

 and associated himself with Booker Washington, to understand 

 the methods of this successful administrator. Thus equipped, 

 he is now serving his countr}- in a most usefid way. 



If these men are merel>- sports — a few diamonds found in 

 what is only " blue ground," there is no necessity for devoting 

 much attention to them. But if they are the advance guard of 

 the whole race on the march to civilization, then we have to 

 consider our relationship to such a race. 



Let it be remembered that there are not just these men — - 

 half-a-dozen or so, and then a mass of savages. \ verv large 

 number of the race follows close upon their heels, and are peoi>le 

 who would be called civilized if they were white. I 

 might mention Dr. Rubasana — though his degree may be only 



