French policy respected African custom only when it did not clash with civilization

Evidence

Roume’s decision confirmed what the 1903 school system had already indicated: that France had no intention of forcing its own institutions upon the colonized, as part of its civilizing mission in Africa. This did not, however, imply that France would adopt a handsoff policy toward its subjects. Complete nonintervention would have been an abdication of its important duties, as a superior civilization, to ensure that some sort of African evolution took place as a result of France’s presence. A second principle of the new system therefore was that African custom would be respected only to the extent that it did not conflict with the principles of civilization. When a conflict occurred, French justice would apply. — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 298