IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

SIR,—I have been a reader of the dis¬cussion which has been continued for some time past in the columns of the Imvo, upon the higher education ques¬tion ; and read with indignation and dis¬gust the letter appearing in your last signed X, on the subject in reply to Mr. Bokwe's letter. If educated Natives wish to ventilate their views on this sub¬ject by all means let them do so, in a spirit of fair criticism, but if the discussion is to be productive of effusions of this kind, the sooner it terminates the better. My remarks bear reference to numerous passages in X's letter. I will instance • two only of the most prominently objec¬tionable ones. ' To obtain this priceless boon, he (Mr. Bowke) became the bond thrall of the Institution, ready to do its dirty worA: on all occasions—this accounts for his defending Lovedale,' etc. This is not argument, it is abuse, pure and sim¬ple; and abuse of the worst Arind. The statement is as insulting as it is untrue. What ' dirty work ' has Lovedale to do? What has it ever done but the very best work ? Another sentence.- ' As he (Mr. Bowke) like a Kafir uses illustrations that darken the subject,' etc. More injudicious writing than this it is impossible to conceive of. We have enough of race hatred and race distinction in the colony already, without any fresh importations by anonymous correspondents writing on non-political questions. If the controversy is to be continued I trust the spirit of the writing will be very different from this. My own opinion is that so far it has proved itself to be un¬profitable ; whereas, there are many other subjects of far greater utility and impor¬tance awaiting the attention of every thoughtful educated Native. Yours, &c., R. W. ROSE-INNES. [We should be the last to assist in pro- pogating anything calculated to stir up bad blood and race-feeling. In connec tion with the specified remarks of our esteemed correspondent, we may point out, however, that X's letter was through¬out couched in a sarcastic strain, and ' dirty work, &c.,' may be looked upon as figures of speech. The reference to a 'Kafir using illustrations' was taken from Mr. Bokwe's letter when referring to ' Lovedalian,' and was not used in contradistinction to Fingoes or other native races.—EDITOR Native Opinion.]