Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08

| il Sovereign Head of the Independenl
| State Of Congo" All the laws are passed BY
the sovereign upon the Recommendation oi
/ his Cabinet Ministers, who constitute q
"Couneil Of Administrators General. !"
When the head ofone Of the departments
requires new law, he drafts it and sub
mits it to the sovereign, who, if he approve
II, issues his royal decree carrying IL into
force. Il has been found expedient, how
ever, for the Sovereign Head Of this State to
delegate his legislative authority to the
Governor General Of the Congo State in
Africa; but his ordinances must be ratified
by the sovereign within six months, other
wise they become void.
The funds for the maintenance Of the In
dependent State Of Congo are furnished
from the private fortune Of the Sovereign
Head. In period of about 10 years this
ruler has expended the magnificent fortune
Of q. 10000 francs Ca, 600, ,OOO) in an effort
to civilize and Ch-istianize the natives Of
the Valley Of the Congo; but, as he has re-
peatedly assured me within the last month,
he Is not tired of spending, since he con-
slders himself in the discharge of Christian
duty. The finances may be divided into
three sections: THE interest on q fund Of
20, 900, 900 francs "a, ,0o0, ,000). 2-The reve-
nue. from taxes-except duties, land taxes
and postal receipts. 3-The money supplied
by the Sovereign Head to meet any deficit
that might come from an insuficiency of
local revenue,
The government of the State Of Congo is
not temporary, but permanent Within the
next four years the Congo Railway will be
completed, and it is confidently hoped that
within six years this. youthful State will be
selfsustaining. And while the government
will not change its character, it will doubt
less be expanded to meet the wants OF its
subjects who are constantly being infused
with new and better ideas. The confidence
and hope of the Belgian people themselves
are daily growing frmer and brighter; and
their splendid King, who entered lonely
path upon a difficult mission without
friends or supporters, now finds his Belgian
subjects among the most ardent advo-
Gates of the State of Congo. He has fur
nished the world with both an argument and
a demonstration that Africa and the African
will kindly yield to the methods of the mod
ern Christian civilization. "First the blade,
then the ear, after that the full corn in the
ear" The foundations of this new State
have been carefully laid by king with
wide and wise range of vision, who has
studied human history with deep religious
and philosophic insight. And the civilized
world will sincerely entertain the hope and
indulgs the belief that the Independent
State of Congo may fulfill the most lofty
expectations of its illustrious Southern
head.
THE AETI-sLAVERV CONFERENCE.
Now that the time for the convening Of
the Anti-Slavery Conference of the Powers
draws near there is great activity in the va
rious Nreign Offices on the Continent.
From the text of the call it may be properly
inferred that but one question Of importance
will be passed upon: The best means for
the abatement of the slave trade on the
African continent. The slave trade is one
question, and slavery is another. Whether
the conference will care to discuss both OF
these questions cannot be known in advance
of its meeting. But no great European
Power can afford to be Indifferent to the fate
of the hapless victims of domestic servitude
or of the slave trade itself as they now exist
in Africa. Slavery has been driven from
the seas. but not from the land. There are,
however, several other questions that |
NAV unfortunately be forced upon
the consideration of the con-
ference. questions that are purely |
political in their nature, involving ancient |
national grudges, and the priority of con-
Hicting territorial claims upon the African
continent. To admit political questions |
would be to provoke fierce struggle be-
tween some Of the most brilliant diplomats |
In the world, and would prolong the sessions |
Of the conference indefinitely.
The first question for the consideration of |
the conference will be whether its sessions |
shall be secret or public; and upon this de-
.ision depends the character of its delibera-
they will be philanthropic
,rapeIitiea1, If its sessions are open there
viii be no danger of the discussion of
political questions; If they are held with
,losed doors, political questions will, in all
probability, overshadow every eonsidera-
ion Of strictly humanitarian phase.
The following is an official list of the del e
rates present, and plenipotentiaries as we'll:
IS we'll: Germany, M. d'AlVensleben, NJ.
9 DR.. Arendt; Austro-Hungary, NJ. le
Jomte -Khevenhuller; Belgium, Baron
Iambermont NJ. E. Banning, Leon Arendt;
Denmark, r. G. Setback de Broekdorl;
spain, Gutierrez Aquera; Independent
,tate Of Congo, NJ. Primer, NJ. Van EetVelde,
Japitaine Coquilhat, N. Deschamps David,
Lieutenant Liebrechts, United States Of
America, NJ. E. Terrell; France, NJ. Bouree,
4. Cogordan, NJ. Ballay, M. Deloucle.
4. Lacan; Great Britain, Lord Vivian, Sir
ohm Kirk, Sir Arthur Haveloek, Captain
Arthur Moore, Everard Wylde, ESQ.,; Italy,
saron de Renzs, M. CatalinI; tine Neither
llds, Baron Gericke de Herwynen, M.de la
'ountaine Verwey; Persia, Nazare Aga;
Portugal, NJ. Henrique de Macedo, NJ.
iermenegildo Augusta Capello;M. Augusta
e Castillo, N. Jayne Batalha Refs;
sussia. Prince Ouroussof, NJ. de Martens,
apitaine Rimsky Korsakoff; Sweden aud
Iorway. M. de Burenstam; Turkey, Cara
aeodory Efendi.
GEORGE W. WILLIAMS.