The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-09
MUTINIES OF AFRICANS
SITUATION IN CONGOLAND DESCRIBED
BY A MISSIONARY.
Desperate Attempt Of Natives to
Throw on the White Mans Yoke
Baron DhanIs's Expedition.
Correspondence Of the Associated press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
! LONDON. Jan pa representative OF
/ the Associated Press has had to-day an in
| terview with Samuel Philips Werner. of the
1 American Presbyterian Congo Mission, who
/ has Just arrived IN England on his return
! TO America after four years residence at
! Luebe, in the Kassia district one of the
| few mission stations in the heart of the
| country where the native mutinies against
| the Congo State have been in progress and
| where Baron Dhanis and the Belgian expe-
diton are now operating against Batatela
and Kakussu Since his arri, al at Antwerp
| last week Mr.. Werner has had conferences
with the heads of the Congo administra-
tion st Brussels. He will sail for New York
in a few days
Asked as 10 the causes, scope and prob
able duration of the revolt against the Bel
gians Mr.. Werner said: THE causes are
several. In the first place it is oontinua-
ton of series of mutines for several years
past, beginning with the killing of the chief
Of the Batatela by a subordinate officer DUR
ing the campaign. OF the history of past
revolts lou have already received full par
ticulars This one seems to be a last des-
perate attempt by the natives to throw off
the white mans control. 1t is probably the
most serious of all because of the extreme
inaccessfbility of the region lying beyond
the heads of navigation of the rivers in the
direct track of the Tanganyika section of
Mr. Rhodes's Transafrican Railroad The
transport Of supplies and ammunition must
be very difficult The natives are learning
that the steamer is the white mans power
and that they must keep away from the
rivers in their warlke operations When it
IS remembered that Dhanis is over three
hundred miles from his nearest base, with
Only handtul OF white men and a per-
cehtage or unreliable troops, II is small
wonder that so many European lives have
already Deen sacrificed, and it will occasion
no surprise If further disaster awaits the
Belgians. If Baron Dhanis succeeds he will
have achieved task more difficult than
that hitherto achieved by any European Off
GER not excluding the British in any part
of central Africa. If he fails he deserves
only the highest praise for having en-
barked on an undertaking which nothing
can effectively accomplish. A railway is be-
ing projected in the heart of this very dis
trct from the Lubefu to. the Luaaba
TO conquer this country and effectually
suppress this mutiny can only he q ouegtion
of years. According to my latest Informal
ton the mutinous natives are practically on
all sides of Baron Dhani's present position.
The home Of the Batatelas is in the west
of the Lualaba and the mutinous troops
have captured Kakabarre and are on tho
east and north. Thus he is practically sur
rounded. 1t was reported when / left that
Governor Wangermee was going up from
Stanley falls to take command in person,
forcements can be sent from three points,
from Stanley falls, on the north; from
LuZmbe, on the west. and from Tanganyika,
on the east. In any case it will take con-
siderable time to get these reinforcements
there, as both the state force and the
enemy have about the same amount of
arms and ammunition and it is difficult to
say whose store will be exhausted first.
There has also been some fighting on the
southwest frontier with the Kiyiko tribe.
When l last heard this had not assumed Sc
rious proportions and the statements that
panic reigns throughout the whole of the
Congo are entirely untrue"
Asked regarding the reported maladmnis-
t1ation of the Congo and the stories of out
RACES upon the natives by white officers,
Mr.. Werner replied: The general admins
tratfOn is, | believe, well intentioned and as
efficient as the means at it's disposal will
permit. There are, of course. isolated cases
of bad conduct and mistaken methods for
which the subordinate officers are mainly re-
an efficient corps de functionaires which
will greatly improve the system. ] am salts
appeared In the press implying that the en-
tire administration of the Congo state IS
vicious and that the governments policy de-
serves condemnation are without foundation
Are not the central authorities at Bona
or Brussels aware of the barbarites de-
scribed by missionaries, traders and others?''
i do not think they always are. 1t is
difficult TO keep up with the details of af-
are few responsible witnesses. OF course,
the officers themselves do not report their
has sufficient evidence measures are taken
to punish offenders and rectify abuses. What
is needed is closer communication and more
searching scrutiny of the actions of subordi-
nate officers, though / do not mean to say
that all are guilty of Objectionable prac-
tees"
In concluding the interview Mr.. Werner
described an experience of his own which
illustrates. he said, the conditions largely
responsible for troubles arising not only on
the Congo but in other parts of Africa The
point of the incident is the necessity of OBJ
serving the wel-defined natives customs
'Since ! was invited" said Mr.. Werner, ito
the town of a large and influential tribe.
under the most remarkable chief / have
known or read OLA man deserving to rank
with Kharma. BY first going quietly and
sending a messenger before me to announce
my coming and business secured cordial
reception and hospitable treatment Not
long after another white man visited the
tribe. He marched precipitately into the
CHIEFS private apartments, spreading con-
sternatiOn. The women grabbed their food
pots, the children set up a terrific outcry,
and soon the whole town was in an uproar.
The chief took the intruder by the arm and
conducted him to another part of the town
afterward saying 10 me: This man does
not know a chief, but seems to take me for
a slave In dealing with the African every
thing depends upon the way you go about it.
and nothing is more important than to re-
spect their native customs and to show a
certain amount of consideration, at least to
their SuDerStitiOns