The sun., 1903-11-26
BELGIUM AND CONGOLAND.
Letter From the Belgian Consul In New
York on AfYalrs in tho Free state.

| To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: Having
noticed the interest you have taken and the
fairness you have shown In the Congo contro-
versy. respectfully beg to call your atten-
ton to book recently published In London
Chapman Hall) having the title. The
Native Problem in South Africa" In which
Mr.. Alexander Davis, author Of "Umbandine'
a Romance Of Swaziland" &c., discusses
| the difficulties of solving the native LABOR
question. In the same volume there appears
a review of the problem In West and West
| Central Africa, by W. r. Stewart. late OF the
Niger Company, treating OF the inhao''ah'e
religion. administration. land tenure. labor
missions and education in British West Africa
and In the Congo Free State.
Coming on the heels of the recent British
attacks on the management OF the Congo
the latter work Is highly interesting JUST
| now as 1t presents the views OF an EnRiish-
man who hHs lived for years In the west OF
Africa and whose unbiased and unasked
for testimony will no doubt carry the great
| est weight.
Referring to the Congo in his opening re.
marks, the author says: 1T has been deemed
advisable to include the latter rather more
fully than other foreign colonies In the scope
| OF this brief review, as. In the frst place
this state, living midway between West
Africa proper and south Africa, presents
problems common to both and shows the
| latest experiments resulting from mooern
| ideas of solution; and, in the second place.
| in order to examine conditions there IN the
| light of common sense in view OF the vas.
amount Of nonsensical and exaggerated
| statements at present being served up TO
that section Of the British public which ap-
pears to have an Unsuitable appetite, not 70
say penchant, for anything which 1t can
construe into an African atrocity.
On pages 2lo-i3, Mr.. Stewart gives
A. f-t L fl
| minstration: Turning to the Congo Free
State. the general division OF the territory.
from an administrative point of view. Is
| based on the districts, at the head OF each
| OF which Is District Commissioner repre-
senting the State The Commissioner is
assisted by sub-commissioners. but is alone
responsible for the good order OF his district.
| Their principal instructions, on which
| the State lays great stress are to MAINTAIN
| friendly relations with the natives and
wherever possible to prevent or patch up
| intertribal disputes; they are also charged
| with abolishlng as far as possible barbarous
customs, and especially human sacrifices
| and oannibalism, still practised over large
extent of the territory. Among other duties
may also be mentioned that Of providing
transport. engaging porters and seeing
that no abuses Of conscrpted labor are COM
mitted Where the district is subdivided
| into zones, these sub-commissioners are also
responsible to him. as are also the COM
manders Of the different stations in his dis
| trict In close cooperation with the Dis
trict Commissioner is the native chief or chiefs
| of the district, The institution and recoRni-
| ton of these are encouraged by the State
| in order to improve the relations between
it and the natives. to consolidate authority
over individuals, to amellorate their condi-
tion and to facil tite their regular oontribu.
| tion TO the development OF the country The
| chiefs have as a rule to be first cognized
Gciaily recognized by the Government and
receive, certificate to that effect. They are
acsordnr 70 to natve usage and custo
vided the same be not contrary to, PUBLIC
order and is ip aceordapce with the laws Of
sponsible for their tribes supply of public
labor. as notified to them annually. The
nsve eroded sS numss5 s ss
tion Of the chiefs and the supervision Of the
central authority are now on the Congo sup
such conditions can go, BY, very. thorough
organization of the judicial side Of the Gov
orst. ahoP saSe the Gonso Free
state to say that this latter has been estab-
ssead tss msfs T may BE nsrsS nIs' r
marked that no infant. strueeling State is
justice as has now been called into existence
on the Cong, pour rtre. and furthermore
on the be Congo @ not eoss sspaSs a
OF lending themselves to such practices. A
| dividual countries especially when in state
of geTy hut generally speaking the
ssr ones IN British .neI soonesy y as well
"The sovereign and Government Of the
Congo Free State have stated over and over
again that they desire justice to be rendered
mpartially. and that, as it is necessary that
offences committed by natives should not
o hs wS1s pensh Mh6 laws Vrs mGt as9
III iasal a,' donss The mere fact Of having con-
slitltsd superior court OF apPeal with Jud ses
Of different nationad,ss nd ana OF app9n,ins
and officials of the lower courts in the interior
of the country is proof and more than
seriousness OF the judicial administration
aimed at; The writer holds no brief for the
but Fe e nne. se se Saetrs e4R IN
lengthy study of its judicial machinery
laws and DEGREES, and the, instructions given
vi What at more more King Leopold could have done
to "' safeguard its internal affairs than has
been ,s the peculiar S0nd
been BEEN due, due as far as one acquainted With
! TO three things, viz. to the abuse OF power
before the State had fully realized the neoes-
scmi-independcnt individuals; secondly, TO
and thirdly. to the lack of trained colonial
stitntions fitted them for isolated and arduous
responsibility in an unhealthy tropical and
savage country. IT is only right to add,
may still continue to occur here. as every,
| whore else. the measures now In force guard
as far as possible against repetition Of the
| former reRrettable occurrences: and where
these occur the, Offenders are brought to
| trial without delay"
In the chapter on land tenure page 2l4,
| the author saws: Nothing Is more astound-
| ing in regard to the present Congo campaign
| in this country-to take a very fagrant case
| IN point--than the utter ignorance displayed
| by those who. while violently denouncing
| every detail Of Congo adm inistration, appear
| to be totally unaware of the past history OF
| social evolution. OF modern civilization in
| Europe and of the conditions existing in
other African countries at the present day"
| Mr.. Stewart goes on TO show that the sys-
| tenn OF land tenure In the Con 60 is practically
| the same as is the neighboring British colonies
| and he insists on the benefits which are to
! result from the system. He also gives full sta
| tstcs on the Catholic and Protestant mis-
sions In the Congo as follows:
| Catholics: Churches, IA missionaries, 100
| men and "a women: stations, a., schools, 2S
| mem bers 1873; scholars 5.5l5.
| Protestants: Churches, 3; missionaries, 22l +;
stations, 40: communicates, s.52l; scholars,
week day. lo.le? scholars, Sunday school,
| 5,e4l