president's address. 13 



to contemplate social equality for white and black, even in the 

 future; but sympathetic relationships appear likely to increase 

 with real advancement on the part of the native. While it seems 

 a tragedy for the educated and refined native to be subject to 

 the barrier of social equality, his better education enables him 

 more clearly to appreciate the psychological foundation for it. 

 The wise and intelligent among them accept the position, for it 

 may signify no more than do the social barriers existing in a 

 European country. The energy, aspiration, and ambition of the 

 exceptional native may well find their outlet in the uplifting of 

 his people, and in the development of their racial consciousness. 

 It may be regarded as a misfortune for South Africa nationally 

 that the two major parts of its population are apparently to be 

 for ever separated by social barriers, yet in practice it implies 

 little more than do the social separations in a white community, 

 or than the caste system does in a country like India. In these 

 days democracy the world over has risen to claim its due share 

 in the amenities of life, yet questions of social equality have no 

 part in the movement, and need not have in the case of the native. 

 From present tendencies the native in South Africa will in 

 tjie course of time be afforded all the opportunities to rise in every 

 sphere of life and claim the position for which his abilities and 

 tastes qualify him, and questions of equality need not enter into 

 his considerations. The exceptional native must rise along with 

 his race and cannot expect recognition apart from it. The display 

 of a just and sympathetic appreciation of the situation on the 

 part of both races will do much towards maintaining a harmonious 

 relationship in everyday life. The leaders of thought will not be 

 influenced by the denunciations and ravings of extremists, but will 

 be guided by general trends; on both sides the underlying guid- 

 ing principles of sociology must be recognised, and applied with 

 justice, good-will and sympathy. 



It is well that the native in South Africa should know how 

 he compares with his fellows elsewhere. Dr. Aggrey, a Gold 

 Coast native, who has spent over twenty years in the United 

 States, and has recently toured a great part of Africa as a mem- 

 ber of a Commission investigating native educational and economic 

 conditions in Africa, addressed a gathering of natives as follows: 

 "All white people were not bad and all black people were not 

 good. They should let the good of both races work together. He 

 had heard the natives in these parts complain. He only -wished 

 the Union Government would run excursions, taking thousands 

 of natives to another colony he had just visited. If they saw how 

 people there were treated they would say South Africa was the 

 best country in the world. White people would help them if they 

 worked and showed that they were worthy of help." 



The Bantu Assimilative but not Originative. 



The past history of the Negro in Africa -would appear to 

 prove that, of himself, he is incapable of rising from his lowly 

 state; for all through the ages he has evolved none of the attri- 



