New-York tribune., 1886-07-18
FREE RUM ON THE CONGO.
A LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR OF 1.-TWO
YEARS IN A JUNGLE"

"A BLOT UPON CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION.
70 he Editor OF Ths Trtowne
S,n, To the average mind. the utter indifference
nj both Caurch aud State 70 what the rum sellers
are doing IN Africa Is truly appalling When we
shink of the influence and power welded by both
thes. great social factors. and the quality of the
Intelligence which directs them it seems incredible
that ench gigantic evils shonld he allowed right OF
way. / he Christian world holds the dark continent
In trust. 1t has voluntarily assumed the guardiah-
chip of the African negro, and drawn around nun
the GORDON of civilization 1t proposes to give MN
commerce. religion. law and education. The trader
aud tho missionary arc engaged in race for MS
development" while civilization looks on ana
congratulates itself the grand work that Is pe-
irg done for thu enlightenment OF behlgn'cu
Africa. The commercial word in particular IS
dazzlel by talk OF steamer lines, railways SUI
tions." "factorics" and atradc." while The reilg-
ious world thinks of missionaries, converts anu
education The surface of tho subject has been
stirred into perfect froth of excitement over wha'
has alrea iy been accomplished. and what is 10 DC
in the near future. Let US sec what lies nhder 'o
foam. Brandy, ain. rum. whiskey aicouoi """
wholesale drunkenness lie under it; that IL all
nest OF poisonous serpents, " moro dearly tnan INC
eerpept of the Nile" and who have placed thelr
deadly fangs within striking distance OF the negro.
Tho commerc, of our boasted nineteenth century
q
stro,cbc, forth strong hand to stop the devilish
work that commerce" is doing Think you the
synre is overilrawni If So read on, and study the
character Of the message the European pioneer
carries to tho negro.
Those who read TIE TRIBUNE of January "a
must have noticed the following item of telegraphic
news from Berlin, dated the previous day
In lie discussion in the Reichsiag on on the Cam,
Groom credits fIcrren Windthorst. Richter and
cho rUpd Herr WOprmau. denutV for Ham
burg and the chef Of large exporting house, with
sending poisonous brandy to the negroes IN Africa
partlv true. lie said. however. that he had never
sent bad brandy TO any of the German co oniss but
10 the French colonies. TO these he had shipped
rum of the worst quality.
Herr Woernans highly conscientious dscrimna-
ton in favor of the German colonies will doubtless
be highly appreciated in France.
ibis is what Joseph Thompson saw q Up the
Niger" rs related in the January number OF Good
JJords:
At each port Of call the eye becomes bewildered
in watching the discharge of thousands OF cases OF
gin. hundreds Of demi ohns of rum, box upon hox
of guns untold kegs of gunpowder. and myri@ds OF
clay pipes while it seems as II only by accident
stray bale of cloth went over the side
On the Congo bottles of gin constitute the prln-
cipal medium of currency in dealing with the
natives. The following paragraph is from The
report of Mr. w. p Tisdel, special agent of the
United states to the Congo, as it appears in
Consular Reports, Nos. 81 and SO. Department of
State:
OF this variegated currency, gin is the most
valua,l indeed it may be truly snln ~ Is ~ottm
bottles Of trade GU will go much further in trade
with the natives than ten times its value III cIp'n
and il often happens that traders are compelled 10
return TO the coast without having accomp lshei a
trade because the natives insist upon having gin,
while th' trader was SuPpedd w WIN n e at
for one or two DAYS at a time upon the slfahce
that he can at the expiration Of that time nave Il
niece of cloth, il is doubtful whether he would
work at all.
Here is a bit of testimony which shows what
New England is doing TO help the cause along
The superintendent of Lutheran missions IN
West Africa wrtes-as follows:
The vilest liquors mag uable are being poured
j, 10 Africa in sbiploads from almost every quarter
g the civilized world. On one small vessel III
which myself and wife were the only passengers
there were in the hold over 100. 900 gallons of New
England rum. which sold on the coast tor ~ q cal
lon in exchange for palm oil. rubber. camwo0G apo
other products common to the country nave
seen landed from steamer at a single port
10000 cases of gin. each containing twelve three
pint bottles.
Tie next witness shall he less a man than
the founder of tine Congo Free State. In Stanley's
sCongo" vol. l. p 1873, he writes as follows:
Gin is used currency. GIn and rum are also
largely consumed as grog by our native workmen
We dilute both largely. but we are compelled to
serve Il ont morning and evneIDg stoppage OF
this would he followed by cessation OF work. 1t
Is custom" ; custom IS despotic, and We are tOo
weak and too in the country to rebel against
custom. If we resist custom. we shall be aban,
doncd Every visitor TO our camp on this part OF
the Congo the Lowerl If he has a palsver with us
must first receive small glass of rum or GIN
chief receives a bottleful, which he distributes
teaspoonful by teaspoonful among his followers
THIS is the Lower Congo idea OF an all-arouAC
drink | by the returns of the station che
that we consume 125 gallons of rum monthly by
distributing grog rations. and native demands To-
ii in lieu OF a portion OF their wages
have reserved the most important testimony
until the last. 1t is that of DR.. A. Sims, chef o
the Livingstone Inland Congo Mission, who wa
the first missionary to navigate the waters of the
Upper Congo and has lately returned to thi,
country after four years work in that deadly
climate In a recent letter to the writer he iuT
nshes the following facts:
Besides the giving of rum in payment for good
or food supplies. it ls employed IN "a wholesale way
as presents The traders keep their ruI ners oi
the roads fTeqUented by natives whom they brll'
with liquor 70 trade only with their masters Ih'
moment natives with produce arrive IN mcr
chants yard. they are liqu0red all round. AL
contracts. dues and ground rents are made payable
more than half. Is often the case. wholly IL
demijohns of rum and cases Of gin. Ia this th'
Congo Free state has followed the example set b,
Tho merchants. Rum is now carried into the fa
interior by natives and retailed at profit At my
dam gin has been offered to at IL cents eigh
brass rods. aud demohn at S3. AT that place
caravans OF Bateke and Bakongo continual,
paHstu, VI MIiCu |Ntuty -HNc lucIi ouJ VI rNclD
hundred wonld be load ed with iDtox eating drinks
From such sources of supply have seen man,
natives and solIers of the state become drnnl
Immediately uDon .he arrival of a caravan. lU i.
pretty certain that 80 PEI cent of the returned
commerce account of the natives who live near the
trading houses is given TO them in hquor. Al
Stanley Pool not more than 20 per cent of The
value of their goods goes back TO them in liquor
but that is because of the distance. Were the,
living near a trader they would be bOpelessly
drunken. IL is sad thought that where five
wears ago IiquOr unknown and never aske for
the natives now beg for il. and nothing else car
better ingratiate into +beIr favor. AS for the
kings near the 80 ,-sIde trading houses IntOxca
ton is about their normal condition When
was assisting to conduct mission at Banana. tn,
port of the Congo il difficult to yet thu
natives to assemble in a sober state on Sabbatl