I don’t think Twain was sympathetic to the English in South Africa per se, especially with respect to their behavior during the Boer War. If memory serves me, in a public speech in 1900 (?), he introduced a young Winston Churchill, then a war correspondent and hero to the English, to an American audience with particularly caustic commentary regarding the imperialistic behavior of the British. You can check this in the Harpers volume on Mark Twain’s Speeches, or, better yet, the published work of our late colleague, Jim Zwick.
Martin Zehr
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Scott Holmes
Sent: Sunday, October 7, 2018 5:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Indians, Indians and Imperialism
While working on my Twain's Geography site, currently his tour of
India, I frequently reference Ian Strathcarron's book, "The Indian
Equator". Â There is a footnote that reminded me of the recent thread on
Twain and Native Americans but also of Twain's feelings about
Imperialism:
"Many Mark Twain enthusiasts have commented on his life-long dislike of
imperialism and the resultant puffed-up vanity of colonialism. The one
exception to this rule was the jewel in the crown of imperialism, the
British Raj reign of India. Not only did he forgive the British for
their incursion but on numerous occasions pointed out how beneficial it
was to the natives; how lucky they were to have the British to rule
over them."
This is footnoted, thus:
"He felt something similar about the British treatment of Indians
closer to home. In Johannesburg, South Africa, he said: 'Look at the
difference between the position of the Canadian Indians and the Indians
with whom the United States government has to deal. In Canada the
Indians are peaceful and contented enough. In the United States there
are continual rows with the government, which invariably ends in the
red man being shot down.'â€
Here are two instances that stand in contrast to our general
understanding of Twain - he appears to approve of
imperialism/colonialism; and, he appears sympathetic to Native
Americans.
--
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of
in your philosophy.
http://bscottholmes.com
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