The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-13

II has an area in square miles larger
than Europe west of tho Nistula. Its
native population is slowly emerging
from savagerv into barbarian. 1t has
a fine seaboard, and is drained by one
of the largest rivers in the world the
Congo itself with its innumcrablc trib-
utnres. It's potential wealth, what is
known of it. is beyond all computations,
rubber being presently its principle "N-
port. Leopold. king of the Belgians, Is
sole ruler over this vasa territory. lie
is not hamprrcd in it's administration
by direct responsibility To the Belgian
parliament on circunsCribcd by the
constitution of his kingdom in giving
effect to his personal decrces. So far
as one man can he held responsible for
the political ana social condition OF
this vast country. the kin" Of In" Bel
gians is committed Hs Il Christian and
enlightened ruler to its advancement
ana civilization.
Having fixed tho responsibility for
the administration of the congo let us
turn and examine how King Leopold
and those associated with him fulfil
the functions of II modern ruler to the
indigenous inhabitants of the Congo.
The natives are chiefly engaged in
gathering raw rubber in the vast for
ests which produce that article in such
abundance. With the exception OF
ivory and gold. rubber is the most VAL
liable commodity which Africa yields
~ hn
Congo are more valuable than the gold
mines of the Transvaal. Rubber is the
currency as well as an article of traiiic
In it the natives pay taxes and barter
for the few wants of civilized life with
which they are acquainted. The ad-
ministration of the Congo is Il military
despOtism, unmitigated by humanity.
Christianity, or phlanthropic ideas.
The country is not presently ut any
rate open to European civilization and
consequently the military satraps who
act in King Lcopold's name are the
most ruthless and barbarous tyrants
that in all history We're set over an in
feriOr race. Their wickednesS is not
that of slave drivers or slave owners.
1t is Wanton, murderous, mercilcss.
Every native is required to contribute
Il poll tax in rubber ut Il certain time.
Owing to the waSteful manner in which
the rubber trees are stripped, the for
cSts near the scaCouSt and on the banks
of the river Congo are drained of the
precious fluid which when soldified
constitutes the rubber of commerce.
But that does not cXOncratr the
of his masters If he cannot find it
in or near his own village he must seek
it elsewhere. buy it, or steal or get it
anyhow. If he does not he is shot in
cold blood, his hut given over to the
flames, ana his family probably be-
raiders Of the interior.
The missionaries, both from HE
nature Of the country ana from the OBJ
staclcs put in their way by the Belgian
officers, are making the least progress
in the Congo than in any other part of
Africa. 1t cannot be denied that Leo
pold has an enormous burden in
the personal responsibility which he
has undertaken in the civil and politi-
cal administration. Financially it has
almost ruined him. He is natur-
ally anxious that the expenses of
its administration should be met by
the country. But the strange thing is
that Il monarch so enlightened, the
laws of whose country are the most
democratic in Europe and who himself
in his private life is as democratic a
king as ever lived, should be so little
perturbcd by the shocking barbarities
perpetrated in his name, by soldiers
under his immediate jurisdiction, on
wild savages who, since stanley opened
up the country to exploration, have de-
manded, under his direct guardianship
his sense of Christian duty toward
them, the education of their industrial
effort and their domestic development.