The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-08

Fst and Fertile Soil IN the HesFt
81 Africa.
ue.dsrfs1 Wsrk 81 fhe Beig1zn
xiss-1As Fssurs Crs.ary Of
shs world
Sew ymk Times

f.eneraI III. s. Sanford. formerly
rnife4 states minister 70 Belgium
ard tfse man meet Instrumental IN 90
eassng the perpetual neutrality and
freedom Of trade es the independent
state 81 Congo, In Africa. has Sr-ives
from Europe In the Tmbria. corEaples
ing sisen ms seventy-foarsh trans
atlantis voyaFs. he has been
III Seu YORK for fsa
days. but left here for hsz home atssn-
ford. Fla, city Of 800 Inhabitants
in che midst OF one OF the finest fruit
sections Of the state. which wa
founded by the general several years
arc and isa striving and prosperous
eowmanity.
To Tas<z reporter who called uroE
him al the Brsvoorf house TO aaks
sofne inquiries about the present con,
aition OF affairs in tae new African
state General Sanford rFeoante1 the
proceeding which led 20 the organiza1
iion OF the existing governments u the
Cougo free state and Us perpetual
guaranty BY the nations Of Europe
The independent state IF Congo. hs
eaid CONTAINS Go. so square miles
Of II fat and fertile sol as the SIZE
shines upon. IL Ii inhabited By %.
60 90 people, OF considerable natsra
ability and shrs~dFaess. Their Irfnii
tive forms 81 government wefe Of stis
patYiarchai character, and they hae
developed crude bur sufficient sys
TEN Of textile manufactures 20 suppsy
their simple wants. In the niaulpsaia
ton 81 copper. too. they had made
considerable progress. and they wers
not far behind other aboriginal race
IA the manufacture OF pottery.
.sIsgt they were nm essentially savage
peoTIe when the international African
Association was organized IN 1876 f0f
purposes OF exploration and develop
rnefls of the country, and 10 carry 70
its fyeor,se the dement's OF civilization
OF this association Leopold IL, King OF
the Belgiana. Vas president. and to his
perasonal sacrifices and Great phiiafs-
tllrOpy Is essentially due the opening
mp III the Dark Continent 10 the CIV
LIKING and eleyating influences oi
commerce aud religion. The earlier
operation OF the association were
attempted from the east coast of AT,
rlca, where Stanley fitted out his first
expedition to the interior.
But when, two years later, Stanley
returned to Europe. having sailed
down the Congo from Tangarlyika to
its mouth on the Atlantic coast, and
bringing with him the secret of the
Dark Continent, General SANFORD met
him at MarseiIies when heianded with
e commission from King Leopold 10
take charge OF All expedition for the
Association TO Explore the Congo
Basin, beginning at the mouth OF the
river.
King Leopold conceived the idea oil
transferring the work of the associa-
tiou from the east 20 the west side oil
Africa, the General continued, and
OF himself, at his own expense, open
ing up the Congo region 70 civiiizing
influences. STANLEY was engaged By
the ASSOCIATION, and started upon his
mission. which arrived at the mouth
Of the Congo on August Ii. 1873, with
four small steamers. 1t took him I'M
til the end of 1852 TO reach Stanley
Pool, al the head of the cataracts. DE
Brazxa haying preceded him. Stanley
had three OF his steamers on the upper
waters Of the Congo. having had them
transported by carriers in parts
around the cataraets from Bona to
Stanley Pool. a distance of fse miles.
by the end of 1884 there was line
of stations established from the Allan.
tic ocean 10 Stanley Pool, occupied by
f51 European agents, and 800 treaties
had been made with local chiefs. rec.
ognizing the sovereignty OF the king
OF the Beigians. Meanwhile the leal,
ousy Of France and Portugal had beer
aroused, and they began a systematic
cTowding Of the phiianthropic enter
prise on account OF the political posi-
biiities that were involved In IL. II
became supremacy necessary that thu
association should have a aag and OBJ.
tain the recognition OF some powei
that would assure IL standing and
protection.
Il was a member OF the executive
committee OF the association at ths
tims, and ON one Of my trips home
laid the matter before President Ar.
thur. ard in his annual message Il
congress IN ISIS he pronounced ener
getleaiiy In favor of recognizing thu
flag of the association The senat.
subsequently passed resolutions II
accordance with the presidents sug
gestion. and by u declaration signed
April -. IssA, in pursuance OF til.
senate's resolution, by Secretary Ere
linghuysen ana myself. the flag of til,
African international Association wa
recognized as that of friendly gov
eminent. This step secured to u
perpetual freedom Of trade, with tn
right 10 acquire and hold property ii
that vast region and the engagement
on the part 81 the association TO abol
ish slavery.
This was the salvation of the ass0
elation~'the birth unto a new life. q
Stanley SAYS In his book the point u
departure Of It's existence as 4 state.
The example of the United states wa
one that every European nation sui
sequently followed This at delicate.
the attempt of Great Britain To secur
control of tho Congo region throug
treaties with Portugal. The first (
follow the United states was Prime
Won bismarck, with the same declars
ton and recognition. But to seegre /
ail time the advantages os neutralit,
freedom of trade and a tree tai
European sanction 10 the arrangemer
was necessary lndividuaIs die. III
tions are immortal
Hence the conference ~ Iseriif
November, tsSi, where not alone ID
new state. hat the whole Congo hass
ard more was secured to perpesas
free trade and neutFatlseSl. The in
pogtant agreement MAS also made ths
arbitration. not war. should decide a
difficulties with other states. In tn
conference General sanford and Mir
lister John 4. kasS0Ii represented III
interests Of taa United States. Tn
acts at tho conference have been rat
tied by every civilized nation excer
the lnsted states
Belgium gave her consent to IA
sovereignty al the new state In Cd
person 81 her king, who has organize
and i carrying on a government an
l. developing tie country in most n
Iaagkatle Nay. lie has already layeSte
Ss.tssi,tsa1 81 hiS 0wn personal FORUM
In the aosk. which he II earrysn
forward from purely pAilanthrepi
motives. No man, living 81 dead hs
done saore toward extangaishlng ia
slave trade, and this. too. hy iseacest
methods, and Il exaegesatxsa paslag
throphy will not interfere IL Is certai
that the slave trAsie vii tse perfect Il
deae away within the limits os his jal
isiietson.
IL : now te years since the Cong
committee began ia work. Airraa
i8ea miles ~ uaylgahle waters hay
been trSycrsezi 81 its steamers. I'll
Sanford exploring expedition was Il
first commercial enterprise staEte
there and les steamers. the Herds
named after my native state. and N
New Nork. we're the tirst commsgvls