The sun., 1903-07-05
CONGO STATE ATROCITIES.
Reply OF the Government to the ACCUSE
tlOnS Of Its Enemies.

tlOns Of Its Enemies.
The June number Of lie bulletin Oticiel
Of the Congo Free State contains the answer
of the Government to the recent accusations
made against it in foreign countries. The
reply s very long. II deals not only with
the charges Of grave crimes against the
natives, but also replies in detail to the accu-
sations made in the British Parliament and
elsewhere that the Government is monopo-
lizing the commerce of the country, in vio-
lation OF the act of the Berlin Congress,
which provided that all nations should enjoy
complete freedom of trade in the Congo
basin.
Here is a brief summary of that part OF
the reply relating to the alleged atrocities
committed upon the Congo natives. The
Government asserts that the large com
merce it has developed has been attained
without detriment to the native population.
II denies that it's military service is form
of slavery, as has been charged
The recruiting and organization Of the
public force is under the regulation of laws
devised to avoid the infection of abuses
upon the natives The military service
is not a burden upon the people. for only
one man in 10 900 is in the army. The troops
do not consist, as is alleged, of irregular
levees composed of undisciplined and bar
barous elements but are made up of regu-
lar troops under the command OF white
officers.
The Government requires the natives
to pay small part Of the cost incurred
In extending over them the protection OF
| the State, but it does not place upon them
any obligations or burdens which are not
imposed upon those living in the neighbor-
| ing Colonies of European States. The tax
levied upon the natives is light represent
| ing, on an average, not more than forty
| hours Of labor month
The Government admits that the natives
! OF the Congo, like those OF other parts OF
| Africa, have been to some extent the vfo-
| Tins Of in Justice and violence. The Congo
| State has never denied this, nor tried to con-
| ceal il.
II protests, however, against the ale
| cations that such evils have been the result
| OF bad system of government or that they
are tolerated by the authorities. The
report mentions number Of specific
charges of outra ge, and says that the white
men responsible for these crimes are now
| In the prison at Bona, serving sentences
for their violation of laws devised for the
protection Of tho lives and property OF the
natives.
Other accusations which have attracted
much attention are based upon occurrences
OF ten or twelve years ago, when the State
was still unable effectively to protect all the
natives on account of the vast extent of
its territory. Other charges Of specific
outrage are declared to be wholly fictitious
| All crimes against the natives are pun
ished with great severity, and the interests
of the population will continue to be safe
guarded by the State.
Attention Is called TO the fact that not a
single Roman Catholic missionary in the
Congo Free State, nor any of the Protestant
| missionaries who have become conspicu
ously identified by long and effective labors
with the civilizing influences in operation
there, has ever accused the State Of main
tanning a policy Of injustice and cruelty
or OF winking at crimes Of any sort against
| the natives.
The statistics of the courts maintained
In the Congo State testify to the severity
with which crimes against the natives
are punished; but to attempt to deduce
| from these statistics proof that larger
number of such crimes occur in the Congo
| State than in any other colony of Central
Africa 10 an unwarranted usa OF them. Z