The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-03
CONGO FREE STATE.
1t Is Said That Slavery in the
Worst Form Exists There.
THE FRENCH CONSTITUTION.
Plan For Its Reyision-Arabs at Suelema,
Algeria, Pillage Jewish Shops-Lesseps'
Health is Very Poor.

Especial to THE HERALD = Examiner Cable |
BRUSSELS. June There is prospect in the
immediate future of some startling revelations
concerning the management of the Congo free
state. While the King of the Belgians poses
as great philanthropist in establishing that
state as civiliZing agency in the Dark Cont
nent, the whole institution is declared to be a
mass of unspeallable iniquity. Although the
slave trade is nominally abolished yet
thousands of negroes are held under the con-
tract labor system in a bondage that rivals the
worst forms of slavery. Regular traffic
exists both by steam and sailing
vessels in transportation from Sene-
gambia and elsewhere TO the Congo and
Bona Bank, the chief port of entry. The
wretched beings are actually slaves forcibly
held IN bondage by the native lash of the mas
ters who contracted with the Congo authorities
Tor the use OF them. They are driven aboard the
Snlps IN herds like cattle and are locked in pens
besWeen the decks which resemble crowded pig
sues more than anything else AS many as
twenty on recent trip were thus confined
IN room IL feet wide and "a feet long, thus al
lowing less than two yards square floor space to
Saeh. Ii was impossible for them to lie down
without lying on top of each other and as the
ceiling was less Than five feet above the floor,
they could not stand upright, but had to remain
IN a tneelng or Squatting attitude. The only
Ventilation was obtained through a creVice in
The ceiling feet long and inches wide. Thus
these twenty-five men and women, all naked.
We're imprisoned four days and nights, not one
being allowed to leave the room for any purpose.
Their only iood was muSn madeuof rice, which
twice day was given them. When they
reached port on the fifth. nearly all OF them
were sick with fever ordysentery and their con-
clifton was SO filthy as to sicken several mem
bers OF the crew, who assisted in getting them
out OF the ship.
CjIhis was fair sample OF the manner in
which thousands of natives are constantly dealt
with. Then the mail and faster steamers from
Europe participate in this ABDOMINAL traffic
Small boats put out from the shore laden with
slaves and intercept the steamships which take
aboard this living freight and stow it away in
the hold. one steamer already laden TO the
1ull length OF its capacity. recently took aboard
more than four hundred of these slaves. When
the slaves reached the Congo state they were
put TO work under the lash with armed guards
TO prevent their escape. Nor is this the worst
feature of the situation. 1t is credibly af-
nrined that an extensive traffic in women and
girls fer immoral purposes is openly conducted
They are shipped to cities in all parts of the
world. Il considerable number of them coming to
Belgium and Holland. II is not believed that
the Iun evil of the situation is known to the
administration OF Congo state here, and the eX-
posture of il has been prevented by the most
unbluShing violation Of the secrecy OF the mails.
But visitors TO Bona have brought back start
ling reports which viii doubtless soon be pre-
scented to King Leopold in the strongest pos
Sible manner.